by Mac Olsen
The Falher Pirates were back in form on Nov. 21, as they handed the Dawson Creek Canucks a 6-1 defeat.
“It was a good game overall,” says coach Dan Gervais.
“We came to play, and we played a full 60 minutes.”
Netminder Nick Deslongchamps made a lot of key saves, adds Gervais.
The Pirates took an early lead in the first period. Craig Anderson put the puck in the basement on the approach at 2:57. Al Anderson received the assist.
During a power play at 4:12, Morgan Maclean fired the puck into the attic, with Craig Anderson and Pat Rowan receiving the assists.
Then at 12:02, while shorthanded, Rowan scored the Pirates’ third goal of the game unassisted.
At this point, the Canucks called a 30-second timeout and then play resumed.
Connor Race scored the Canucks’ only goal of the game, at the 15:40 mark during a power play opportunity. Jeff Taylor and Damon Kipp received the assists.
Nonetheless, the Pirates were ahead 3-1 at the end of the first period.
The Pirates added one more goal to their tally during the second period.
Cedric Harvey scored at 15:01, with Hugo Dissegna and Brock Clement collecting the assists.
A video clip of the goal is found on the Smoky River Express’ Facebook page.
The second period ended 4-1 for the Pirates.
The Pirates extended their lead with two more goals in the third period.
Four minutes in, Jay Anderson had a breakaway opportunity and he fired the puck into the net at point blank range. Al Anderson and Craig Anderson shared the spotlight with him.
Several major penalties were handed out during the game, including one to Dissegna. He received a two-minute penalty for checking to the head and a 10-minute misconduct.
But it wasn’t enough to turn the tide for the Canucks. Despite desperate attacks and several close goals, the Pirates thwarted them at every turn.
Al Anderson scored the Pirates’ sixth and final goal at 18:44, with Craig Anderson and Jay Anderson receiving the assists.
The game ended 6-1 in favour of the Pirates. However, shots on goal for the game were 44-35 in favour of the Canucks.
The Pirates
versus Huskies
How fast the fortunes of hockey can turn, as the Grimshaw Huskies proved to be a tough team when they came to Falher on Nov. 26.
“They came here with a full lineup,” says Gervais. “They came to play and they capitalized on their chances.”
In the first period, the Huskies showed they meant business, using strong forechecking and hard hits to control the puck.
However, the Pirates also managed several attacks of their own against the Huskies’ net, although they suffered some penalties that cost them, too.
Play seesawed for the first half of the period and then the game downshifted. That is, until Craig Anderson received a double minor for roughing at 14:49. Brendon Hawryluk of the Huskies received a two-minute penalty for roughing in the same incident.
The Huskies to press their attack and moved the puck around in the Pirates’ end for a shot.
Then Bond Hawryluk scored a power play goal at 15:55 to give the Huskies their first goal of the game. Kale Helgeson and Izaak Hudson received the assists.
The Huskies were ahead 1-0 at the end of the first period.
The battle for the puck continued in the second period, with neither team getting the upper hand in the first half.
But things picked up thereafter, and the Pirates nearly scored several times. There’s a video clip on the Smoky River Express’ Facebook page of two such opportunities.
Nonetheless, Corson Fairless managed to slip the puck in the net for the Huskies at 19:02, with Kurt Konopelka receiving the assist. The Huskies were ahead 2-0 at the end of the second period.
Brendyn Hawryluk scored the team’s third goal at 1:18 of the third period, with Terry Holder and Adam Schlack assisting.
But the Pirates had the last word, as Pat Rowan scored at 14:40. Cedric Harvey and Morgan Maclean received the assists.
Fights broke out in front of both benches as the game came to an end. But no information about penalities was available at press time.
The game ended 3-1 in favour of the Huskies.
The next home game for the Pirates was on Nov. 28, when they hosted the Fort St. John Flyers. Watch for a story in the Dec. 9 edition.
