Mac Olsen
Express Staff
The Falher Pirates are off to a good start for the second round of the NPHL playoffs, after winning against the High Prairie Regals by a score of 9-4, at home on Feb. 15.
Coach Taylore Cote is pleased with the team’s performance.
“Our power play was very strong tonight,” says Cote. “Our penalty killing was equally as strong.”
Play seesawed for the first eight minutes of the first period. Then the Regals suffered back-to-back penalties that the Pirates took advantage of.
Khalin Marsolais scored the Pirates’ first goal at 9:32 on the power play. Dakota Mason and Pat Rowan assisted.
Then Rowan built the team’s momentum with his own goal at 11:15, while Rollie Gladue and Khalin Marsolais assisted.
At 17:35, Dakota Mason added the team’s third goal. Nathan Smith and Trevor Mazurek shared the spotlight with him. The Pirates were ahead by a score of 3-0 at the end of the first period.
However, the Regals came on strong early in the second period. At 5:08, Junior Anderson put the puck in the living room, with Jacob Anderson and Mitch Price assisting.
However, the Regals’ momentum was short-lived, as the Pirates came back to score two more power play goals.
Craig Anderson put the puck in the attic at 10:19, with J.M. St-Pierre and Trevor Mazurek assisting.
D’Lane Sather was the next to score on the power play, putting the puck in the basement at 16:42. Dakota Mason and Pat Rowan earned the assists.
But the Regals had the last word in the second period. Jay Anderson scored a power play goal at 17:37, with Steven Thunder and Junior Anderson assisting.
The score was 5-2 for the Pirates at the end of the second period.
Despite their efforts to rally, the Regals couldn’t stop the Pirates onslaught in the third period.
The Regals had a two-man advantage going into the third period, but the Pirates were able to kill both penalties.
Mitch Price scored the Regals’ third goal at 2:38, with Brandon McNabb and Dakota Conroy collecting their assists.
But the Pirates bounced right back with two more goals.
Nathan Smith scored the Pirates’ sixth goal at 5:34, and Dylan Cunningham was there to collect the assist.
Then, while the team was down a player, Khalin Marsolais scored a short-handed goal for the Pirates at 9:34.
Dallas Brochu received the assist.
Nonetheless, the Regals managed one more goal when Junior Anderson fired the puck into the living room at 10:20. Steven Thunder received another assist.
The Pirates had the last word, however.
At 13:38, the Pirates had a two-man advantage. They moved the puck around for a shot and Dakota Mason found his mark and scored the team’s eighth goal. Pat Rowan received the assist.
Then D’Lane Sather put the puck in the basement at 16:10, on a power play opportunity.
Nathan Smith received the assist.
The game ended 9-4 in favour of the Pirates.
Shots on net for the game were 46-34 in favour of the Pirates.
Look for more photos of the first game at smokyriverexpress.com.
With game one behind them, the Pirates travelled to High Prairie on Feb. 17 for game two of their playoff series.
Then they hosted the Regals at home on Feb. 20 for game three.
Then it was back to High Prairie for game four.
