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Sports: Defence simply offensive
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The High Prairie Regals celebrate a second period goal against the visiting Valleyview Jets Nov. 26 at the Sports Palace. The Regals had no problem scoring as they netted 14 goals in two games last week. The problem is they allowed 21 goals in an 11-5 loss to Valleyview and 10-9 loss to Fairview.
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Chris Clegg
for South Peace News
This hurts!
The Regals entered last week with two very winnable games on their schedule at home against the Valleyview Jets and Fairview Kings. Looking to improve on a 2-5 record and climb back close to .500, they instead collapsed defensively and lost 11-5 to the Jets and 10-9 to the Kings.
The weekend sees their record drop to a paltry 2-7 as they begin a 12-day break before hosting the powerhouse Lakeland Eagles Dec. 10. With a game at Falher Dec. 12 and another trip to Lakeland Dec. 17, the Regals could be looking at a 2-10 start to their season at the halfway point.
The winless Jets came to town and recorded their largest margin of victory in High Prairie since records were kept in 1989. Twice the Jets had won by five goals – a 5-0 win Feb. 12, 2000 and a 9-4 win Jan. 30, 1996 – but this time the Jets outdid themselves in winning by six. They raced to a 5-1 first period lead and closed the deal with the third period’s only three goals to break open a close 8-5 game which saw the Regals rallying and still having a chance.
Ryan Reeves led the way with three goals and three assists while Frazier Caron also added three goals. His markers were the first of the season after scoring 38 last year, second best in the entire league.
Izaak Hudson, Ken Breland, Cory Burnside, Brent McKennitt and Mackenzie Caron, who also added five assists, also scored for the Jets. The line of Reeves, Mac Caron and Frazier Caron combined for seven goals and nine assists for 16 points.
The Regals league-worst power play struggled mightily. Although they went two-for-eight, they gave up three short-handed goals to Frazier Caron, McKennitt and Reeves and were minus one on their eight chances.
Nick Anderson scored two first period goals to lead the Regals. Craig Van de Ligt added an early second period goal while Eli Cunningham and Rocky Sawchyn added power play goals.
Clarence Cunningham started and was yanked after giving up five first period goals. He was replaced by Chris Prpich, who finished the game.
The Regals outshot the Jets 50-39 including 20-17 in the first period but trailed 5-2.
The Kings came to town two nights later and scored seven goals in the first 17 minutes to lead 7-0. They led 8-1 after two periods until the Regals mounted a furious comeback in the third which saw them score with five seconds left to pull to within one goal but it was too little too late as the Kings defeated the Regals for the third time this month and second on Sports Palace ice.
Travis Bettenson scored three goals to lead the Kings while Brandon Hill scored twice and added four assists. Derrick Honing, Dustin Craig, Mich Landry, Tom Bondaruk and Lassiter Johnson added the other goals.
Lawrence Anderson score three goals and added a pair of assists to lead the Regals. Rollie Gladue and Lloyd Ah-Kim-Nachie each added a pair while singles went to Kelly Cunningham and Steven Thunder, who each added three assists.
The Regals scored twice on the power play but gave up one short-handed goal while the Kings were scoreless in three chances.
The Regals peppered Kings’ goaltender Brett Dillman with 59 shots including 27 during the third period blitz.
Prpich started the game in goal for the Regals but left after the fourth goal in just over 12 minutes. Clarence Cunningham finished. Between them they stopped 34 of 44 shots.
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