Road to Recovery..or Ruin
In a short 16 game season, it gets easier and easier to use the tired tag ‘must win game’ as the losses pile up. For the calgary Roughnecks, a sputtering start to the season makes two weeks’ worth of road games that much more important.
The team took a collective punch in the mouth in last week’s 17-9 humiliation at the hands of the Buffalo Bandits and John Tavares, and this weekend’s storyline has a lot of similarities to last week in how it sets up:
1. An eastern opponent seldom seen. (1 meeting all-time)
2. Former (in this case defending) league champ off to a slow start.
3. An opponent armed with one of the league’s biggest guns (John Grant Jr.)
The Knighthawks have sputtered out of the gate at 2-3, but unlike the Roughnecks they’re coming off a stunning win. Last week Rochester went into the final quarter trailing Toronto 4-2 and proceeded to rattle off 9 straight goals for an 11-4 victory.
The Roughnecks started badly and never recovered in the Buffalo game, never leading or for that matter even threatening. To change that, they need to be better at both ends, but especially in front of Ryan Avery.
In a surprise start that followed news that Steve Dietrich was down with a concussion, Avery was shaky early allowing 2 goals on 4 shots, but after that, GM Kurt Silcott says it was the defense, more than the goaltending that was at fault. John Tavares was allowed to run the attack unchallenged. Mark Steenhuis beat defenders 1 on 1 all night. Pat McCready walked in on two unmolested breakaways as a result of special teams turnovers.
The defense will have to change because the goalie isn’t. Avery will be number one with Dietrich going on injured reserve. veteran Pat Campbell was signed as a backup this week, but the job is Avery’s until chugger gets healthy. Silcott says the D has to get back to being aggressive and challenging the ball carrier.
Offensively, there was reason for optimism last week despite the single digit goal output. The Riggers did generate 56 shots, and were very aggressive off the transition game, I’d just like to see more of a sustained attack, and better loosse ball pursuit to keep the ball in the opposition’s end a little longer.
Once again, Tracey Kelusky will sit this one out as he continues to make slow but steady progress in recovering from his concussion. Indications are defender Kyle Couling will draw into the lineup for the first time this season.
With 1-5 Portland on the horizon next week, a split on the 2 game roadie is easily doable. But pulling off a win tomorrow would put the Roughnecks in position to get 2008 right back on track.