It was a topsy-turvy weekend for the Cold Lake Jr. B Ice as the team split the opening two games of the NEAJBHL Championship series with the Wainwright Bisons, leaving both sides with everything to play for as the series heads to Cold Lake this week.
The Ice travelled south to Wainwright on Friday for game one, as a Connor Fynn-inspired attacking corps led the Ice to a resounding 3-1 victory, before a close encounter Sunday afternoon in game two saw the Ice drop a 3-2 decision in overtime.
After giving up home ice advantage for the opening two games of the series following a scheduling conflict at the Energy Centre, games three, four and five are all scheduled to take place in Cold Lake over the next eight days, and Ice head coach and GM Neil Langridge believes his team's victory in game one gives them a definitive advantage as they prepare to bring the series back home.
“We knew coming into this series that it would be huge for us to grab a win on the road and we managed to do just that in game on,” Langridge said. “Winning two games would have been ideal, but we're ok with the split. We're getting ready now to go back to our barn for four out of the next five games, we have our home advantage back and we're just looking forward to playing in front of our fans again.”
Kicking off the series at the Peace Memorial Multiplex in Wainwright on Friday, the Ice came out like a bat out of hell, with Fynn notching the first goal of the series after just 38 seconds to silence a rowdy hometown crowd.
The youngster added a second, which turned out to be the game winner with eight minutes gone in the third to restore the goal lead after Jory Hoffman had brought the Bisons level part way through the second. Defenseman Mark Zvonkovic made the game safe 60 seconds later after a thunderous shot from the point found its way past Bisons backup goaltender Josh Bykowski.
Speaking to the Nouvelle at the conclusion of game one, Fynn said it was vital that the team got off to a positive start on the road in this best of seven series.
“It's absolutely crucial that we got off to a good start here (on Friday), we came out hard on that first shift and ended up getting a lucky bounce and getting the early goal right away which sort of gave us a little bit of momentum,” Fynn said.
“It's important, especially in their barn that we take the game to them and try and put them on the back foot, and I think we did a good job of that (in game one.)”
After a day off, the two teams locked horns once again on Sunday afternoon, with the Bisons coming out on top, following a tight, closely contested game.
This time it was the Bisons that started the game strong, with forward Brandon Muise bagging his seventh goal of the playoffs on the powerplay towards the end of the opening period.
That lead though lasted less than a minute as Ice forward Devon Hascarl popped up with a timely equalizer following good work from Zvonkovic and Zach Zarowny. Michael Harbich scored the only goal of the second period to give the Ice hope of securing a second road victory, but it wasn't to be as the Bisons replied with seven minutes left in the third period through Brian Hillis, before Hoffman, the team's lone scorer on Friday, grabbed the game winner six minutes into overtime.
Although he was disappointed to drop such a close game, Langridge said the ball was right back in his team's court as they prepare to re-take home ice advantage.
“Obviously, taking game one for us was huge, but this is the playoffs and anything can and will happen,” Langridge said. “It's times like this when it's always good to try and learn from your losses. The boys will know they're in a series now and it really is do or die – we have to have the mentality where we're giving 110 per cent every night. Hopefully this will wake them up and make the boys realize that we can't take a night off at this stage.
“That being said, we're excited to bring the series back to Cold Lake and hopefully we can put on (a good show) for the fans.”
Games three and four will take place at the Energy Centre on Friday and Saturday. Puck drop for both games is penciled in for 8 p.m.
