Chris Clegg
South Peace News
As the losses mount for the High Prairie Regals this season, one has to start asking if the team is as bad as its record indicates.
A 9-1 blowout loss to the visiting Manning Comets Jan. 3 followed by an 8-6 loss at Fort St. John Jan. 4 dropped the club to 1-13.
However, the stats tell a story that the club may not be far off. Consider the following:
- The power play ranks third in the nine-team league at 26.67 per cent. The problem is, they receive the least power play chances on average per game at 3.21. Saturday against the Comets, they had a grand total of 14 seconds of power play time. Seconds! A few more power play chances per game would improve the end result.
- The penalty kill has climbed to seventh from dead last and is just over a percentage point from climbing to sixth.
- And, most importantly, the Regals lead the NPHL in blown leads with six, meaning the team has held the lead in six of their 13 losses. Learning to protect a lead would help.
Despite the problems, if the Regals can defeat the visiting Valleyview Jets Jan. 9, they will pull to within four points of the Jets for the right to host a best-of-three preliminary series to begin the NPHL playoffs beginning Feb. 4. Keep in mind the Jets are winless in six road games this season. Lose and they may as prepare for a road playoff game. The Regals also play at Valleyview Jan. 23 so the door is open for them to barge through if they can put their game together.
Benny Yellowknee opened the scoring as the 9-2 Comets came to town. After that, it was total domination by the Comets, who took advantage of the team missing several players due to personal reasons. The Comets scored two in the first period, three times in the second and added four in the third to win their second straight over the Regals this season.
Edge Lambert and Ethan Whillans each scored twice to lead the Comets while Taylor Paulovich, Mark Simpson, Ty Wiebe, Dorian Schmidt and Brendan Baumgartner added the other goals. The Comets were 3-for-7 on the power play with Whillans, Paulovich and Lambert scoring.
The Regals had 14 seconds of power play time and were held scoreless.
The Comets outshot the Regals 52-28. Keygon Okemow took the loss giving up five goals in two periods. Rhiley Laderoute played the final 20 minutes and surrendered foul goals in his season debut.
The Regals took a short lineup to face the Flyers in Fort St. John and gave a spirited effort in the 8-6 loss.
For the second straight game, the Regals opened the scoring when Tristan Auger scored the first of his two goals during the night.
However, the Flyers, who have never lost to the Regals as members of the NPHL, rallied to lead 2-1 after one period and never trailed the rest of the game. The Regals did tie it 3-3 in the second period but the Flyers rallied to lead 6-3 in the third and held on for the win, scoring an insurance goal with 52 seconds left.
Giovanni Foschia and Alex Nimmo each scored twice to lead the Flyers. Nolan Legace, Devon Greyeyes, Zach Ryan and Chase Hipkiss added the other goals.
Brandon McNabb scored twice and added two assists for the Regals. Braydan Auger and Lawrence Andersons scored the other goals while Johnathan Belyan added four assists.
The Flyers outshot the Regals 51-33.
On a bright note, The Regals clearly won the special teams battle going 2-for-3 on the power play (goals scored by Tristan Auger and Braydan Auger) while the held the Flyers scoreless in five power play chances.
This week, the Regals host the Jets Jan. 9 before going to the Swan City Jan. 11 to face the Grande Prairie Athletics