The 100 Mile House Wranglers had a weekend full of highs and lows on home ice last weekend.
On Friday, Feb. 14 the Wranglers took on the Castlegar Rebels in what proved to be a heartbreaking overtime 3-2 loss after the Wranglers led for most of the game. However, on Saturday, Feb. 15 the Wranglers took on Cariboo rivals the Quesnel River Rush and beat them 4-3 for the first time in several games. Head Coach Levi Stuart said Friday's loss was a "tough pill to swallow" but Saturday's win helped improve his players' spirits.
"It's nice to get the point still but we look at that as a game we should have won. If we had won and got the two points we would have clinched first (in the Doug Birks Division). Pretty disappointing to not be able to do that. Now we need at least one point here on the weekend," Stuart said.
Against the Rebels, the Wranglers played a dominant game shutting them out from scoring until late in the third period. Wrangler captain Ethan Davey set the tone with a goal early in the first period followed by neither team being able to score during the second period.
In the third period, the Wranglers lengthened their lead by another goal scored by Nash Hilworth and it seemed like they were on track to shutting out the Rebels altogether. However, the Rebels were able to get a goal with two minutes left in the period giving them fresh wind in their sails.
The Wranglers held firm with Davey once more scoring an apparent goal on the Rebels. However, the puck bounced out of the net and the referees, who didn't see the goal, didn't call it, giving the Rebels the chance to grab the puck and tie the game while the Wranglers were in disarray. Stuart said this was particularly galling, especially because after the game he watched the tape and confirmed Davey did indeed score.
"The ref and linesman both decided they didn't think it made it in. When you go back and look at it on video it's obviously very clearly in the net and then we don't even get a whistle. They wave it off and Castlegar comes down before we can reset to score and tie it up," Stuart remarked. "That was a tough pill to swallow."
With no access to instant replay, the game carried on into overtime where Stuart said the Wranglers were rattled from the turn of events. Ultimately the Rebels got a two-on-one against Davey, a forward, and scored clinching the victory.
"Castlegar came to play, to give them credit. From our coaching staff's perspective, it was the best goal-tending performance we have seen from an opposing team all year. That Hillier kid (Mason Hillier) stood on his head, he made some absolutely unbelievable saves," Stuart remarked. "We feel like we were definitely the better team and with the chances we got we should have won three, four or five to one but he made some outstanding saves."
Going forward Stuart said he hopes that the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League implement some form of instant replay for moments like these. In the meantime, however, he remarked he did his best to raise his player's spirits for their match against the River Rush.
"It would be easy for me to go in as a coach to scream and yell and be extremely mad at the guys for not closing out that win. When something like that happens and we do play as well as we did and we don't get a win, you got to treat it almost as a joke," Stuart remarked. "You've got to say 'hey boys, we got to laugh if off because sometimes ridiculous stuff like that happens and it's out of our control'."
Saturday's game went better with Stuart noting the River Rush has had their number for most of the season. Davey once more set the tone in the first period, scoring the first goal of the night after blocking a shot on the Wranglers' net and then taking the puck down the River Rush to out-battle a defenceman and score. Stuart said it was one of the best goals he's seen all year in terms of pure effort.
The River Rush were able to tie the game before the period's end, however, keeping them in the game.
In the second period, the Wranglers dominated with Matthew Balderston and Brodie Gohmann both notching a goal on their sticks. However, the River Rush came back in the third period taking advantage of two power-play opportunities to tie the match.
Thankfully the Wranglers were able to get a power play of their own with Hilworth ensuring the home town team reclaimed the lead. After that, it was just a matter of preventing Quesnel from tying the match, with goalie Jaidyn Shaw anchoring the defence after coming back from an injury.
"Once again we had the lead and found a way to let them back in it. They scored a couple of goals on a powerplay and we know that's very dangerous. (Quesnel is) one of the best in the league (on powerplays), especially with some of the new players they have acquired," Stuart remarked. "We just need to find a way to stay more disciplined."
The Wranglers have one final home game and away game this coming weekend before the end of the regular season. They will face off against the Chase Heat on Friday. Feb. 21 followed by the Williams Lake Mustangs in Williams Lake on Feb. 22. Playoffs for the Wranglers are set to begin on Feb. 28 with 100 Mile House hosting.
