Sports: Regals' playoff hopes fading fast
Chris Clegg
for South Peace News
The High Prairie Regals’ hopes of making the North Peace Hockey League playoffs suffered a serious blow last week after they lost two games and watched the Valleyview Jets upset the Lakeland Eagles in McLennan Jan. 13.
The Regals began the week with an 8-7 loss in Grimshaw Jan. 12 before losing at home 7-3 to the East Division champion Falher Pirates Jan. 14. In-between, the Jets outgunned the Eagles 14-10 in McLennan Jan. 13 proving that Friday the 13th was indeed a date of horrors for the Regals.
The Regals now trail the Jets by five points in the race for the final playoff berth. The only saving grace for the Regals is they play the Jets three times in their final six games including twice a home Jan. 24 and to close the season Feb. 4. If the Regals don’t sweep, they may as well kiss their playoff chances goodbye unless they receive a monumental help. As things stand today, even if the Regals win their last six games, they still need help to make the playoffs.
The Regals did themselves no favours in Grimshaw as they blew four leads before losing to the second place Huskies. The Regals led 4-1 after one period but watched the Huskies tie the game in the second. In the third, they led 5-4, 6-5 and 7-6 but each time the Huskies tied the game before Brad Kerr’s goal with 1:48 left put the Regals out of their misery.
Kerr scored three goals and added a pair of assists to lead the Huskies while Chris Houlder added a pair. His father, Terry Houlder, scored once and added three assists as the line netted 11 points. Affiliate players Bond Hawryluk and Jared Cardinal added the other goals.
The Regals were led by two players seeing their first action this season. RCMP officer Mitch Price scored twice and added three assists while Tyler Shantz score twice and added one assist. Ira Gladue scored twice and Rollie Gladue added the other.
The Regals outshot the Huskies 48-36 including 17-8 in the first when they led 4-1. The second period proved fatal as the Regals outshot the Huskies 17-10 but didn’t have a single goal to show for their efforts.
Shantz scored the Regals only power play goal in four chances while Chris Houlder scored the Huskies only goal on three chances.
The Pirates outshot the Regals 46-28 in their 7-3 win two nights later. The Pirates moved the puck well all night and had the Regals chasing, but the home team was not without chances. Still, the Regals mounted very little sustained pressure during the game and the Pirates were full value for their sixteenth win in 17 games this season.
Denis Rochon and Joseph Schropfer each scored twice to lead the Pirates while Travis Chalifoux scored once and added three assists. Jeff Chalifoux, who took a thunderous hit along the boards late in the game, and Jason Bouchard, with his league-leading sixth game-winning goal, completed the Pirates’ scoring.
Steven Thunder scored twice for the Regals with Shantz assisting on both goals. He also added the other goal to open the scoring and give the Regals a short-lived first period lead.
The Pirates led 2-1 after one period and 5-2 after two.
Rochon scored the game’s only power play goal on three chances for the Pirates while the Regals were blanked on their three chances.
The Regals host their arch-rivals, the Lakeland Eagles, Jan. 19 at the Sports Palace at 8:30 pm. The game is crucial to both clubs. The Eagles trail the Huskies by two points in the battle for second place and currently lose any tiebreaker with the Huskies. The Eagles would love nothing more than to add to the Regals’ misery. The Regals, meanwhile, are fighting for their playoff lives and need a win to risk falling out of contention.
The Regals conclude the week with a game Jan. 21 in Grimshaw. The home team has won all four previous games this season.
The Regals return home Jan. 24 to face the Jets. Regardless of what happens, the Regals will likely have to win that game to have any chance of postseason play.
Click thumbnail to view larger image
|
