Regals come up ‘short’ in loss to Flyers

Valleyview’s Brad Bablitz, left, fights for possession of the puck against High Prairie’s Rollie Gladue during action Nov. 22. The Regals defeated the Jets 8-4. Gladue scored twice to help his club to the win.

Chris Clegg
South Peace News

A win over the Valleyview Jets and loss to the Fort St. John Flyers have left the High Prairie Regals atop the North Peace Hockey League’s East Division after play last week. The Regals whipped the Jets 7-3 Nov. 22 but lost to the Flyers 8-4 Nov. 24. The loss left the team with a 5-2-0-0 record, a healthy six points ahead of the Lakeland Eagles and Jets. Regals’ coach Brian Martinson was pleased with his team’s effort, both games being played on Sports Palace ice. “I thought it was probably one of our better games,” says Martinson of the effort against the Jets. It didn’t start promising for the Regals. Ryan Reeves scored on a breakaway after only 35 seconds elapsed. Rollie Gladue’s power play goal tied the game before the end of the period but the Regals were steadily gaining control of the game by outshooting the Jets 17-10. In the second period, T.J. Cunningham scored twice. His power play effort was batted out of the air on a rebound that would have made Barry Bonds proud. Brian Walker’s power play goal pulled the Jets to within one just past the 11-minute mark. In the third period, Gladue’s second goal of the game and Tyler Shantz’s howitzer gave the Regals some breathing space with a 5-2 lead. Walker’s second power play goal of the night gave the Jets some brief hope but Shantz’s second goal and Rocky Collins’ shorthanded goal sunk the Jets. Collins was the beneficiary of a perfect pass from Shantz. Martinson was impressed with what he saw in the Jets, especially goaltender Malcolm Bassett who kept the Jets close. “I told the boys to be up,” he says. “They were coming off a big win (6-5 over Lakeland) and the loss (4-2) to Fort St. John. They’ll be on a high.” But the Regals gradually took away the Jets’ will to win. Their physical play was the difference. As the game wore on, the Jets wanted nothing to do with High Prairie’s physical defence. “We talked about bumping them,” says Martinson. “We talked about playing the Macnabs (brothers Brad and Tyrell) and if you bump them they don’t get in the play.” On numerous occasions Brad Macnab chose to shoot from well out instead of his usual fancy-dancing to get in close. It made life easy for winning goaltender Cannon Cunningham, who stopped 28 of 31 shots. “When they travel there is no physical presence,” says Martinson. “It’s a lot different when they’re at home.” The loss to the powerhouse Flyers, who won their eighth straight game to start the season, was a mixed bag of good and bad. It was good that the Regals scored three power play goals but bad they gave up three short-handed efforts. The Regals also had more shots on goal than the Flyers surrender on average (25 to under 23) and limited the Flyers to 40 shots on goal, opposed to their average of over 45. Their three power play goals against dropped the Flyers’ rank to fifth from second in the league. The four goals were also the most allowed by the Flyers this season. All in all, a very good performance to a club with Allan Cup aspirations. T.J. Cunningham’s power play goal in the fifth minute gave the Regals their only lead. Adam Loucan scored twice while Kip Noble and Matt Shuya added the others as the Flyers scored four goals in the last 11 minutes of the period. Lance Gauchier and Rollie Gladue scored goals 15 seconds apart early in the second period and the Regals were back in the game. However, Loucan and Ryan Carter scored shorthanded goals before the 13-minute mark and the Flyers were ahead 6-3. Lawrence Anderson’s power play goal accounted for the Regals’ other scoring while Carter and Noble each added their second goals of the night to conclude the Flyers’ attack. “The guys know they can skate with them,” says Martinson. But those awful short-handed goals – two to Carter and one to Loucan – were killers. The Flyer’s put relentless pressure on the Regals with an impressive forechecking display blessed with speed and skill. “We never played a team that backchecked as well as they do,” says Martinson. “They never give up. You’re used to having a little bit of extra time and we made several mental errors.” Cunningham suffered the loss an goal and no doubt bemoans a gaff where he lost the puck and surrendered an easy goal. Martinson was quick to come to the defence of this goaltender. “We should have had a couple guys back,” he says. In the third period, Cunningham had plenty of time to play the puck but was gun shy. It allowed the Flyers an excellent scoring chance but he was up to the challenge. Against the better teams, Martinson says the Regals have to realize a dump in is the best play rather than risk a turnover at the blue line. “We got caught a couple times on the blue line instead of dumping it in,” says Martinson, adding it resulted in two shorthanded goals. The Regals get a week off to prepare for another West Division powerhouse when the Spirit River Rangers come calling Dec. 1. Game time is 8:30 p.m. The game ends a streak of six home games in eight to start the season. The Regals play five of their next seven on the road.

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