LAC LA BICHE - The hockey game recap on the Portage College Voyageurs website from Saturday's hockey 3-2 overtime win against the Red Deer Polytechnic Kings summed it up perfectly.
Turnabout.
"In hockey – as in life – turnabout is fair play, at least according to an old proverb. Less than 24 hours after coughing up a two-goal third period lead to lose to the Red Deer Polytechnic Kings, the Portage College Voyageurs turned the tables on the visitors, erasing a two-goal third-period deficit to record a thrilling 3-2 overtime victory Saturday afternoon at the Bold Center," notes a portion of the Saturday afternoon game summary.
Saturday's squeaker victory, the Voyageurs first in the first six games of the Alberta Colleges Athletics Conference season, came on the heels of a Friday night 5-3 loss to the visiting Kings.
Comeback form
The Voyageurs have shown some good rebound style in their games leading up to this weekend's match-up. In their league-opening series with SAIT at the beginning of the month, Portage was blown out in game one, but came back in the second game to lose by just one goal. A similar formula took place last weekend against Augustana. Although Portage was blown out 7-0 in their first game, they came back to lose by just one goal.
The weekend's results with Red Deer keep the Voyageurs in last place of the ACAC league with a record of six losses and one overtime win. We
While they have been rebounding from losses, offensive power remains an issue for the Voyageurs. They fired only 26 shots on the Red Deer net in Friday's game, and just 18 in Saturday's rematch. On Friday, the Kings peppered Portage goalie Jacob Gnidziejko with 46, and on Saturday kept goalie Alex Brosseau busy with 40 shots.The Voyageurs have scored 13 goals in their first seven games of the ACAC season, with 29 goals scored against them.
Saturday's win, and the rebound streak they team has been having, are seen as a big confidence-builders for the team.
In the online Portage online summary of the weekend, assistant coach Dave Hyrsk is quoted as saying the team is showing a lot of determination.
"I thought we kind of stuck with it a little bit," he said said after the game. "It shows a little bit of character when you can come back after last night, you know, with them coming back on us, giving up four in the third. For us to come back today and do it the way we did it is a big boost. Kudos to the boys who showed some character."
NAIT is next
Hyrsk also believes that character will continue to push them.
"Once you start looking in the mirror and looking at yourself and what you're gonna do and not worrying about anything else you can be successful. We just have to continue on that way. Just keep looking in the mirror," he said, hoping to see the momentum continue in their next series against the NAIT Ooks this coming Friday and Saturday. The Voyaguers host the Ooks on Bold Center ice on Friday night. The puck drops at 8pm. The two teams face-off again the next night in Edmonton. "Hockey's all about momentum and if we can keep the momentum going and have a good week of practice and give NAIT all we've got next weekend, I think we can beat them. Actually, from all the teams I've seen, I think we can beat anybody."
Going into the week of hockey, the ACAC standings have the SAIT in top spot. NAIT sits in fourth place in the league. Going into the weekend games with the Voyageurs, the Ooks are on a two-game losing streak. Portage is coming in after their first win.
