Kangaroos fans got to see a show this weekend as the ‘Roos mowed down two teams.
“We were playing hockey like it should be played,” said coach Brian Kozak.
Saturday, the ‘Roos started their double-header against the Lac La Hache Tomahawks.
The last time the two teams met, with the Tomahawks hosting, it was a disaster for the ‘Roos, who lost, 6-2.
But that was early in the season and this time, it was the ‘Roos who were the benefactors of an uneven final score, winning 10-2.
Kozak was happy with the team’s play, saying a raft of turnovers in the neutral zone and a solid zone defence netted the win for them. An impressive 68 shots on goal vouched for the team’s dominance in the game.
Kozak was particularly happy with Joel Boyetchko, who had a hand in half of the ‘Roos goals in the game.
Goalie Ryan Manderson also had a solid game between the posts, stopping 28 of 30 shots on goal.
The game was even through the first, with the ‘Roos’ Tyrell Turgeon putting the first numeral up on the scoreboard at 5:15, followed by a Lac La Hache goal less than a minute after.
Lac La Hache took the lead in the dying minutes of the period, but Justin Fulton put one in for the ‘Roos with less than two minutes left to knot up the score after twenty minutes.
In the second, the ‘Roos began to dominate.
Half a minute in Alessio Tomassetti took the ‘Roos back into the lead. Rigby Burgart put another one in halfway through the period to put the ‘Roos up by two.
In the third, the scoring started five minutes in and didn’t let up until the end of the game. Alec Gibbs scored at 5:15, followed by Tomassetti at 5:45. Harley Gilks scored a minute later. Matt Stang got a point at 11 minutes on a shorthanded rush then added another two and a half minutes later.
Joel Boyetchko scored the final of the night at 17:46, capping off a run of assists that netted him five points.
Sunday, the ‘Roos were similarly juggernaut-like, taking down the Prince Rupert Rampage, 8-2.
In Mike Moody’s first start of the season, he managed to keep the puck out of the net for 40 minutes, helping the ‘Roos to take a firm hold on the game and allowing only two of the 39 shots on goal past him.
The Tomassetti, Johnson, Fulton line worked the other end of the ice, scoring, or having a hand in, every goal but the final.
“They were just flying,” Kozak said.
Kozak praised the way the team came together for the game, saying the team played hard and the resulting turnovers frustrated the Rampage team.
Tomassetti started the ‘Roos off just past the half point in the first. Paul Girodat followed up three minutes later, putting the puck in on the power play. Tomassetti snuck another one in before the end of the first to give the ‘Roos a three-goal lead going into the second.
The second mirrored the first for goals, though it got off to a quicker start, as Johnson got his first of the game just three minutes in.
Twelve second’s later Fulton netted his first of the game. At nine and a half minutes, Tomassetti put in his third of the game for the hat trick.
The Rampage capitalized on the ‘Roos penalty trouble early in the third, scoring a power play goal at just over one minute in and another at the seven minute mark.
The twin goals seemed to snap the ‘Roos out of complacency. Tomassetti scored his fourth of the night a minute later, followed by Corey Petrie adding the finishing touches at the 10 minute mark.
The ‘Roos are back on the road again next weekend in their last double-header roadtrip. The weekend begins in Houston playing the Luckies, then the ‘Roos move on to take on the Smithers Steelheads in Smithers.
