Sunday March 8, 2020

Final: 3-0 Twisters

So Endeth the Regular Season.

Although we fell to the Twisters to finish off our schedule, we can take away a few things upon which to build going into the playoffs against them.

1) After being outshot 18-12 in the first period, we outshot them 29-17 for the rest of the game…our work effort was evident, we got numerous pucks to their net and were battling all game to get on the scoresheet.

2) We have gotten under the Twisters’ skin. They get frustrated by our tenacity and gave us five power play opportunities last night. Although our PP has been unfulfilled, of late, it feels like once we break through with a man-advantage marker, the floodgates will open.

3) We have beaten them in their own barn this season. We have proven to ourselves that we have the means and the manpower to give ourselves a fighting chance in our upcoming playoff series against them.

The Twisters are a talented bunch but they do have an Achilles Heel. The more body contact they receive, the less discipline they exhibit. They seem more intent on retaliation than self-control. It could be their undoing.

Last night Mulligan totally got under Pembina’s skin. He was a one-man wrecking crew and played with great energy and effort. The Twisters hacked and high-sticked Tanner a half a dozen times. Were it a different referee, we might have seen all those incidences end up with us on the power play. Petras had a spring in his step and Smith was back and looking fleet and fired-up with each shift.

We have our work cut out for us, no denying that. However, our boys have shown their resilience in battling back from our mid-season injury-fest and by stepping up their effort recently so that we are ‘in’ every game.

The playoffs always bring about a different level of play and we are ready for it. We have two healthy goalies who can both steal games with their cage magic. We have a healthy Captain who has shown poise and strength down the stretch. We have four hard-working lines who believe in each other and a solid D-core backing those lines.

All the pieces are in place…let’s engage the Twisters in a series they’ll not soon forget.

– Fishmum