Dan Falloon
Fort Frances Lakers’ head coach Wayne Strachan estimates the first period of Saturday night’s game here against the K&A Wolverines was his squad’s best opening in the past 10 games.
The Lakers opened up a 2-0 lead on the visitors—a product of hard work and intense pressure in the K&A zone.
Unfortunately for the Lakers (6-19-3), the game unravelled from there. Fort Frances was rattled for seven goals in the second period en route to an 8-5 loss—their fifth-straight to remain in the SIJHL basement.
“Things looked to be going our way, and in between periods, we talked about not losing focus and keeping the same work ethic,” noted Strachan.
“[But] we came out flat and played a very lacklustre period defensively, and they capitalized on seven chances,” he added.
Strachan said one area his team is developing is realizing what it takes to play at the Junior ‘A’ level.
“Within our last two losses [the Lakers also fell 7-4 to Dryden last Wednesday], I thought our work ethic and our effort was some of the best all year,” he remarked.
“At practice, we are harping on the way you practice is usually the way you play, and the intensity has to be high.
“We have a bunch of young defencemen and young forwards that, in the past, I don’t know what they learned from the various teams they were on, so they need to learn that our own end is our number-one priority,” he stressed.
Goaltending was one of the major issues for the Lakers on Saturday as starter Jameson Shortreed would need a full three wishes to get a second crack at suspect goals.
Back-up T.J. Pocock was shaky in his second-period relief, but then allowed just one goal in the third and made an impressive save on a breakaway.
“It’s a confidence thing with him [Pocock], and he has to get back to what his strengths are and his ability,” noted Strachan.
“In the second, where they were pressing us and the first shot went in on him, and then basically one of the first shots in the third went in on him, I believe.
“Then he kinda settled in.
“It’s definitely something our team needs right now, for one of the goalies to step up,” he stressed. “Jameson’s been given most of the opportunity just because of his play.
“It’s a lot easier for the coaching staff to make a decision when a goalie’s definitely performing and playing on his game, and T.J.’s just a guy that has to get his confidence.
“We’re trying to get him in and get him some playing time, and hopefully he just continues to work on it through the year,” Strachan added.
In Saturday night’s game, there were at least five occasions where the Lakers dumped the puck into the K&A zone just before gaining the red line. Strachan said gaining the centre line is a focus for his club.
“Our strength is our forecheck. We definitely like to get the puck deep,” he remarked. “I think it was just a matter of not moving our feet, and maybe just some mental errors that came into play after the game went into their hands.”
One of the Lakers’ newest additions, Justin Erhart, paced the way with a goal and two assists against the Wolverines.
“That was probably the best game he’s played since joining the club,” said Strachan. “He has the ability to play on one of the top lines.
“He has the skill and the skating ability to be a go-to guy offensively, and he really came into his own and shone in that game,” he lauded.
Erhart said he’s slowly finding a feel for the Lakers, and is more comfortable than when he started.
“It’s getting better each day. At first, it was kind of tough with a new team and all,” admitted Erhart, who was acquired from Blind River of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League.
“I’m getting to know the guys a bit better.”
Saturday’s game started out well for the Lakers as they came out like a team possessed in the first period, peppering Wolverines’ goalie Spencer Malone and seeing two hit the twine.
Erhart, playing his first home game as a Laker, won fans over at 9:37 as he hustled in on a breakaway and popped the puck past Malone for a 1-0 lead.
Just two minutes later, Henry Gutierrez was the beneficiary as a lucky bounce along the boards came to him in the slot.
Fort Frances’ player-of-the-week made no mistake as he wristed a shot to extend the lead to two.
At the other end of the rink, Shortreed put up a tidy first frame. With his team killing a 5-on-3, Shortreed kept his shutout intact—sliding from post-to-post to steal a sure goal from K&A’s leading scorer Alex Porrier in the period’s final minute.
But Shortreed’s goose egg hatched early in the second as K&A’s tic-tac-toe power-play unit eventually found Matt Hunter all alone out front.
Hunter’s easy tap-in cut the lead to 2-1 a mere 55 seconds in.
Then less than a minute later, Nathan Spina tied the game after breaking in alone and sending a wrister past Shortreed.
The Lakers tried to rebound with the Wolverines a man down as Erhart took a feed from Tyler Stevenson but he couldn’t beat Malone.
Neither could Colton Kennedy’s point shot on the same power-play.
The Wolverines (10-17-5) took advantage after setting up shop in the Lakers’ zone, with Trent Krueger scoring another from in close after taking a feed from David Dawd.
K&A struck again soon after as Hartwell Marable’s weak wrist shot got through Shortreed’s wickets to make it 4-2.
Spina then chased Shortreed from the game when he tapped home his second of the night on a power play.
The Wolverines gave Pocock a rough welcome between the pipes as Aaron Ross beat him cleanly on the first shot he faced for a 6-2 lead.
Still in the second, the Lakers cut the deficit in half on the power play as Kennedy unleashed a seeing-eye wrist shot that made its way through a heap of players and past Malone.
It was Kennedy’s team-leading 21st tally of the season.
But K&A wasn’t done, scoring with just three seconds left before the second intermission.
Marable netted his second of the game while sitting in the crease after about 10 seconds of furious digging by the Wolverines.
Spina notched his hat trick goal to open the third, breaking in and beating Pocock at 2:01 for an 8-3 lead.
To the Lakers’ credit, they kept hustling. First, Stevenson swung out front and put his ninth goal of the season over Malone.
Then Jaret LeClair roofed a shot to lift the Lakers to within three with just under three minutes to go, but that was as close as they would get.
The Lakers hosted the second-place Dryden Ice Dogs last night (the outcome was unknown as of press time), then will welcome the front-running Fort William North Stars to the Ice For Kids Arena this Friday (Dec. 18) at 7:30 p.m.
