Rangers sneak out of town with OT win

Spirit River’s Troy Yarosh, left, tries to escape the forecheck of High Prairie’s Davis Baroldi during North Peace Hockey League action Dec. 1. The Rangers won the game 4-3 in overtime on Colin Lefley’s second goal of the night.

Chris Clegg
South Peace News

Mike Lefley’s fluke goal 37 seconds into overtime gave the visiting Spirit River Rangers a hard-fought 4-3 win over the hometown High Prairie Regals Dec. 1. Lefley’s goal, his second of the game, came after a cross-ice pass from Brad Kennedy. He fanned on the shot but it threw goaltender Cannon Cunningham off and the puck slid slowly into the net for the win. The North Peace Hockey League game was one of the best in many years at the Sports Palace. It featured tremendous end-to-end action, hard-hitting and outstanding goaltending at both ends of the ice. “It was probably the best entertaining game in a long time,” says Regals’ coach Brian Martinson. He was right. The biggest roar of the game came when converted forward Tyler Shantz pasted Rangers’ tough guy Trevor Mazurek into the boards with a bone-crunching hit in the third period. Mazurek was second in the NPHL with 196 penalty minutes last season. Martinson, while disappointed the club did not win, was pleased with the team’s effort. The single point his club received was the first any East Division or North Division club earned from the powerful West Division this season. “We forechecked really well and stuck to our game plan,” says Martinson. The Regals played the Fort St. John Flyers one week earlier and obviously learned a few lessons. For the most part, the end clearing was terrific as they coughed up the puck very few times. They withstood the Rangers’ forecheck much better than the Flyers. The Rangers outshot the Regals 16-10 in the first period with Cunningham making several fine saves keeping the team in the game. In the second period, Kennedy tipped in a cross-ice pass capping a perfect play at the 62-second mark. Cunningham had no chance. Then the Regals caught fire. T.J. Cunningham’s power play goal came on a rebound. Shantz ripped a slapshot past Chad Rycroft from the high slot and the Regals were ahead 2-1. Darin Konelsky made it 3-1 after scoring on a rebound as the Regals scored three goals in only 5:29. The game’s turning point – if there can be one in a one-goal OT game – came after the Regals’ third goal. The Regals had at least four chances to score and take a commanding lead but Rycroft stood tall, similar to Cannon Cunningham in the first period. Lefley then fired the puck past Cunningham from the faceoff circle and the Rangers were back in the game. In the third period, Colin Lefley’s howitzer on the power play at 1:34 tied the game. “I could see from where he shot,” says Martinson, who had a perfect view from the bench. “The shot must have dropped a foot and a half.” But it landed just inside the crossbar and goalpost. Martinson did lament on the game-winning goal, however. “Two guys were on the play but they didn’t come up with it. Then the cross-ice pass and the one-timer.” It was one of few mistakes the Regals made and it cost them dearly. Martinson is still optimistic after the tough games against the Rangers and Flyers. “We knew that we played them tough,” says Martinson. “Those are tough teams to play against.” The Regals travel to McLennan Dec. 4 to play the Lakeland Eagles in the first of five meetings this season before returning home Dec. 6 to play the Falher Pirates in a rescheduled game. The Regals were scheduled to go to Falher Dec. 7 but they are installing bleachers in their new arena. The Regals traded home games with the Pirates and will now go to Falher Dec. 20. Once again the Regals proved how classy they are in helping other teams in the league. The Regals get a rare Saturday off Dec. 8. Martinson has announced Kyle Shantz will get the start in goal against Falher Dec. 6. It will mark his first home start of the season. Cannon Cunningham will get the nod in Lakeland Dec. 4.

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