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Sports: Hard-luck Regals still winless
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Fairview’s Tom Bondaruk, left, tries to centre the puck but defenceman Nathan Gladue blocks his attempt during their North Peace Hockey League tilt Nov. 7. Playing goal is Chris Prpich. The Kings won the game 6-4 on the strength of Bondaruk’s three goals in a battle of winless clubs.
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Chris Clegg
for South Peace News
If it wasn’t for bad luck, the High Prairie Regals wouldn’t have any luck at all.
The offensively-challenged Regals fired 46 shots at Brett Dillman Nov. 7 but the Fairview Kings returned home with a 6-4 win in a battle of winless North Peace Hockey League clubs.
“That’s hockey,” said Kings’ coach Dave Clegg after the game, pleased his club got the breaks when they needed. “Our goalie really stood on his head.”
The Regals carried the play for most of the first two periods before they began to wear down in the third. They fired 35 shots at Dillman the first two periods but only had two goals to show for their efforts.
The difference was the Kings’ ability to take advantage of their opportunities. Tom Bondaruk scored after a brutal turnover in the Regals’ end. To make matters worse, goaltender Chris Prpich let in a ‘softie’ from a bad angle and the Kings led 1-0 just over four minutes in.
The Regals pressed and looked like they were going to tie the game on a power play when disaster stuck. The puck bounced between a defencman’s legs on the power play. Bondaruk raced by and the puck rolled on end from the boards to the middle of the ice and Bondaruk was home-free. From the Regals’ bad luck perspective, it had to be the Kings’ leading scorer, who snapped a shot past Prpich to make it 2-0. When things go bad they really go bad.
Trent Meyaard replied before the end of the period after Dillman got a piece of his shot but not enough to keep it from bending the twine.
The Kings put the game away in the second period with three straight goals. Brandon Hill scored on a scramble as he was Johnny-on-the-Spot and slid the puck into the empty net.
Still, Prpich was playing well – he made 17 saves in the first period - enough to keep the Regals close. He stoned Mich Landry on a breakaway but later surrendered a fourth goal when Hill scored on his own rebound after no one picked him up racing to the net.
The Kings built their lead to 6-2 in the third period when Deen Flett scored the prettiest goal of the night. He raced down the ice short-handed, won the battle for the puck and scored to make it 6-3.
Tyrell D’Aoust scored his first NPHL goal with 2:48 left to give the Regals faint hope but it was too little, too late.
The Regals were blasted 12-2 at McLennan Nov 5 in the Eagles home opener.
The Eagles led 2-1 after one period and 5-1 after two before the floodgates opened in the third.
Lloyd Ah-Kim-Nachie and Craig Anderson each scored hat-tricks to lead the Eagles while Tyler Shantz scored twice and added four assists for a six-point night. Chris Noskey, Travis Cunningham, Mitch McGillvray and Coltin Marshall added the other goals. Marshal also added five assists.
Tim Cunningham and Lawrence Anderson replied for the Regals, who were outshot 37-24.
The Regals end the week with only seven goals in their first three games. After scoring one goal against Falher, they did score two against Lakeland and four against Fairview so the trend is positive.
The Regals play at home against the Peace River Stampeders, who have started the season with wins over Fairview and Grande Prairie, Nov. 12 at 8:30 p.m. The club then makes the long trip to Dawson Creek for the first of its three interlocking games this season Nov. 14.
Coaches suspended
The NPHL has suspended the coaches of the Regals and Eagles for not registering their players properly with Hockey Alberta. The Regals used illegal players against Falher in their home opener and one more illegal player in the game against Lakeland.
However, Kim Marsh of Hockey Alberta says the Eagles used eight illegal players against the Regals and had 21 names on the gamesheet, which is also illegal. Teams are allowed to dress only 20 players: 18 players and two goaltenders.
The NPHL is pondering its options on what to do about the game. The most likely scenario has the game and stats struck from the record and both teams awarded a loss in the standings. A decision is expected early this week, too late for press.
As for length of suspensions, the NPHL and Hockey Alberta will make announcements early this week.
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