Mac Olsen
Express Staff
@SmokyRiverExprs
The Spirit River Rangers were within one game of winning the Campbell Cup last week, after handing the Falher Pirates three straight losses in the championship series.
Coach Mathieu Maisonneuve tried to put the best face he could on the situation.
“They’re a good team,” says Maisonneuve. “We have to play a consistent 60 minutes. We haven’t put that together yet.”
Game one
The Pirates had just won the Eastern Division against the Grimshaw Huskies in Game 7 on March 2. They had to go right into the championship series against the Spirit River Rangers at home on March 4.
The Rangers won the game by a score of 5-3. Shots on goal for the game were 44-38 in favour of the Rangers.
Game two
The Pirates travelled to the MacLean Recreation Centre in Spirit River on March 7 for game two.
The Rangers won by a score of 7-2.
Scoring for the Rangers in the first period were Nathan Smith and Fred Tanguay.
Mac McNeil added one more to their tally in the second period.
Scoring for the Pirates during the second period were Jason Bouchard and Josh Rutherford.
Spirit River dominated the third period. Jean Bourbeau scored three times and Spencer Ross scored the seventh and final goal.
Shots on net for the game were 35-22 in favour of the Rangers.
Game three
The action returned to the Falher Regional Recreation Complex on March 9. The Pirates continued their downhill slide with a third straight loss.
Tanner Bjorklund scored the opening goal for the Rangers in the first period.
Joel Pelletier tied the game for the Pirates a short time later.
The rest of the scoring occurred in the second period.
Kyle Zaichkowsky, J.M. St.-Pierre and Khalin Marsolais scored for the Rangers.
Joel Pelletier scored the Pirates second and last goal of the game as well.
During the third period, a potential goal for the Pirates was disallowed.
The final score was 4-2 in favour of the Rangers. Shots on goal for the game were 38-31 in favour of the Rangers.
Game four was played in Spirit River on March 11.
