The Quesnel Kangaroos should have stayed in the dressing room for the third period of Saturday’s opening game of their best-of-three series against the Williams Lake Stampeders.
Trailing 5-4 going into the final frame, the Kangaroos watched the Stamps score five unanswered goals on 10 shots for a 9-5 win in their second round CIHL playoff series.
“We played hard, effort was not the issue,” ‘Roos assistant coach Steve Williams said.
“Turnovers and defensive breakdowns were the issue.
“Along with playing a team that makes you pay for the mistakes.”
The Stamps tied up the game at 5-5 following a scramble at the side of the ‘Roos net six minutes into the third period.
With the score tied well into the third period, the ‘Roos shot themselves in the foot with two turnovers just inside their own zone.
The Stamps capitalized on the turnovers to take a 7-5 lead.
Trailing by two goals with just two minutes to play, the ‘Roos pulled netminder Ryan Manderson for the extra attacker, but couldn’t get anything going as the Stamps scored two empty net goals for the 9-5 win.
The Stamps pulled the win out of their hat despite having just 12 skaters, as opposed to the ‘Roos complement of four full lines.
With the advantage of the full bench, the ‘Roos plan was to make the Stamps work hard for every inch of ice and avoid turning the puck over, Williams explained.
In the end, the ‘Roos didn’t stick to the plan, as they turned the puck over in their own zone several times and handed the Stamps too many powerplays.
“They had three powerplay goals and three goals from turnovers in our own end,” Williams said.
As much as the ‘Roos didn’t stick to the game plan, Williams credited the Stampeders for playing the kind of game they had to play given they had a short bench.
“They did a great job at slowing the pace, they didn’t chase the puck all over the ice,” he said.
“They played sound defensively and capitalized on opportunities as they presented themselves.”
Despite the lopsided score and the five-goal third period by the Stamps, ‘Roos netminder did everything he could to keep his team in the game as he stood on his head to keep the puck in front of him.
“Ryan was solid, he made some timely saves in the second period and early in the third that kept us even,” Williams said.
Justin Foote, who stopped 30 of 35 shots for the Stamps, also had a good game.
Up until the third period, the two teams had battled back and forth and the teams went to the dressing room after two periods with the Roos ahead 5-4 following a late period charge that saw Paul Girodat score with 57 seconds to play to tie the game at 4-4 and then Rigby Burgart put the ‘Roos ahead just 23 seconds later.
The ‘Roos now regroup for game two of the series in Williams Lake on Saturday.
In a must-win situation, the Kangaroos will have to show more discipline, Williams said.
Part of that discipline also includes staying out of the penalty box as the Stamps powerplay has proven to be very effective.
In addition, the ‘Roos will have to be disciplined in how they apply their energy on the ice.
“We tend to overplay and chase on defense,” Williams said.
“We are guilty of pressuring when it is not available and we get out of position.
“This being said, we need to throw everything we have at them and see where we sit when the dust settles.”
