Chris Clegg
South Peace News
Three years ago the Grimshaw Huskies upset the heavily-favoured Falher Pirates in the first round of NPHL playoffs, including a 6-3 win in the fifth and deciding game at Falher.
Whether that is on the minds of many of the Pirates is debatable, but it appears the Pirates will not let the same fate occur this season after winning the first three games of their best-of-seven East Division Semifinal.
The Pirates won the first game 9-2 Feb. 7 and third game 6-4 Feb. 11 on home ice, and 8-4 at Grimshaw Feb. 9. They have dominated the stat line, outscoring the Huskies 23-10 in the series. The Pirates’ power play is a sizzling 9-19 compared to the Huskies’ 2-12, while shots on goal are 51.67 to 24.33 per game average in the Pirates’ favour. Grimshaw has more than doubled Falher’s time in the sin bin at 95-44 minutes.
Perhaps even more odd is that the Huskies have scored first in each game only to see the Pirates rally for two decisive wins, proving that the game lasts 60 minutes. During the regular season, the Huskies only scored first in five of 20 games while the Pirates surrendered the first goal only eight times in 20 games.
The Pirates already have three come-from-behind wins in the playoffs and had only five all season, while the Huskies also blew leads in only five games this season.
And to complete the statistical oddities, the Huskies were 2-3 when scoring first this season while the Pirates were 4-4 when giving up the first goal.
In the opener, Ty Wiebe scored the first goal of the game and the last goal for the Huskies but in-between the Pirates scored nine straight.
Walker Cote’s goal tied the game in the first period but in the second the Pirates erupted for six goals. Jared Zawacki and Josh Sylvain each scored twice while Bailey Tokarz and Jonah Maisonneuve added the others.
In the third, Cruz Cote and Darren Kramer scored before Wiebe’s goal ended the scoring.
The Pirates blitzed the Huskies’ net for 67 shots and scored three power play goals in five chances, two by Sylvain, the other from Walker Cote.
In Grimshaw, Eric Lloyd gave the Huskies the lead only 45 seconds into the game. This time; however, the Pirates did not wait until the second period to rally. They scored five times by the end of the period to take a commanding lead. Kramer scored twice and also added two assists, while Eric Dentinger, Zawacki and Joseph Sylvain added the others.
In the second period, the Pirates padded their lead on a pair of power play goals from Joseph Sylvain.
The Huskies did score three goals in the third period but the game was far out of reach by then. Lloyd scored his second of the night while Mitch Cook and Cole Basnett added the others.
Cruz Cote replied for the Pirates, who scored five power play goals on nine chances. Kramer and Joseph Sylvain each scored twice with Cruz Cote adding the other.
In the third game, Basnett opened the scoring but Rob Lemay, Dentinger and Dallas Brochu gave the Pirates a 3-1 lead after one period.
In the second period, Cook closed the gap to 3-2 before Denis Rochon and Dallas Brochu, with his second of the night, gave the Pirates a comfortable 5-2 lead.
Taylor Cote’s third period goal was sandwiched between Basnett’s second of the night and Tulsen Fawcett’s goal with only two seconds left.
The Pirates look to end the series on Valentine’s Day at Grimshaw.
The Huskies are looking for a miracle right now, but it has happened before. In 1980, the Pirates led the semifinal 3-0 over Grimshaw before being swept. It was the first time in NPHL history it had occurred. In 2013, the Pirates also led Lakeland 3-0 before losing four straight, also in the semifinal.
Given the Pirates’ dominance in every facet of the game, a repeat of history appears very unlikely.