It was Powell River Regals’ first road trip of 2015 so why not make it a long one. Most of their roster had never been to the Yukon but the extensive travel day usually shows in the legs early in the first game.
Taking full advantage, Whitehorse Huskies struck early and often in the opening period and coasted to a 10-3 win but the rested Regals fared better in the second game losing more respectably 7-3.
Goalies Ryan Fairgray and Lazlo Tomasik made the trip with Tomasik starting in game one Friday evening.
There’s no polite way to describe the opening period other than to say the Huskies made a meal out of the visitors.
Six straight goals and constant pressure around the Regals’ net may have been wildly entertaining for about 500 Huskies fans but for Powell River it was a real shocker.
“We didn’t come out very good,” admitted veteran Andy Welsh, “probably the worst we’ve had in a long, long time. They had a pretty good top line, and the goals came on nice plays and nice shots. It was a mixture of us playing bad and them playing really good. Everything went right for them and it seemed like it went wrong for us.”
After the first 20 minutes was over he recalled, “we were just stunned we were down by that many.”
Despite the setback the Regals regrouped to put together a couple of good periods of hockey.
Austin McLaren, who logged a lot of ice time in the two games, scored his first Regals goal and John Murgatroyd and Dan Swanson added singles.
Tomasik recorded the loss with 40 minutes in the Regals net and Fairgray relieved him to start the third.
The Huskies had ex-Kings Andy Pettitt and Evan Campbell, younger brother of Reid Campbell, on the team as well as a number of former college players.
“I played with a few of their guys last year,” said Welsh, “and we were expecting a good test, which it definitely was.”
After a night’s rest between games and just one Regals player, Sandy Sleath, unable to go in game two, they were much better prepared for Saturday’s contest.
Fairgray got the start between the pipes and his teammates gave him a lead to work with when defenceman Derek May opened the scoring in the first period on the power play.
Huskies tied it 1-1 late in the period and gathered momentum with a pair to open the second period.
Welsh replied with two goals, one power play and one breakaway opportunity, against another Huskies’ tally to make it 4-3 late in the second period.
“We really wanted to keep it to a one-goal lead,” Welsh said, “but they ended up scoring with six seconds left in the period.”
Nonetheless, Regals came out strong in the third but were stoned by the Huskies’ goaltender and some bad bounces.
The all-out effort left them vulnerable and eventually the Huskies were able to take advantage and scored a couple of late goals to win 7-3.
“We had a really good push in the third and no one quit,” said Welsh. “We came close and if not for the goalie making a few good saves it could have been a good game.”
The pair of games put Powell River over Hockey BC’s games played requirement for the season which qualifies them for the Coy Cup playoffs.
Regals will host the runner-up of the Central Interior Hockey League (CIHL) championship for a best two-out-of-three qualification series to determine who will travel to Fort Nelson to take part in the Coy Cup, March 24 through 28.
“On the March 6 and 7 weekend we’re going to play for the right to go to the Coy Cup,” said manager Tod English. “We’re excited to get a playoff series in Powell River and we also see it as an excellent opportunity to build a relationship with that Interior league.”
Williams Lake and Terrace have reached the CIHL final.
