Third period not the issue this time...

After having the wheels fall off in the third period of the both of the last two games, the Ice vowed not to allow that to happen on Friday night in Portage. The game started with high hopes of putting together a full 60 minutes and getting a win against a tough team from Central Plains. The teams traded chances early on and it seemed like both teams settled in to their game plans. The Capitals were relentless on the forecheck all night long, which took away time and space from the Ice players. Midway through the period, the Capitals scored from a tough angle to take a one nothing lead, followed by another odd goal a few minutes later to take a 2-0 lead. The Ice did not want to let this game get away from them, so they pushed back and Jane Roxburgh got the Ice closer with a goal late in the first period , after some very hard work from her linemates. Carley Jewell, playing her first game at forward this season, and Ashley Kubic assisted on Jane's goal. A tough first period ended with a 2-1 deficit, but the Ice were confident they could make a game of this. The Capitals pressed hard in that period but Michelle Kerdes was very good in net. Two mistakes led to the Capitals first two goals, so the Ice players spoke of eliminating mistakes and staying the course in the second period. The Capitals came on strong in the second period, but the Ice were equal to the task as the game wore on. Off of face-off in the second, the Capitals found a loose puck and took it to the net, and found a way to make it 3-1. Before the end of the second period, a very impressive Capitals powerplay made it 4-1 on a bullet of a shot from the point. Again, Kerdes was solid in net, but two very skilled plays cashed in for the Capitals. In an odd situation, the Ice talked about how the second period was better than the first, despite allowing two goals. The team did minimize their mistakes, but they weren't able to cash in like the Capitals did. The third period started with the Ice showing a few signs of nervousness, not wanting to allow the third period to get away from them, as it did the last two games. The Capitals pushed hard to seal the deal, but Michelle Kerdes was exceptional in net in this period. The effort and intensity did not fade for the Ice in this third period, but the Capitals proved to be too much on this night, as they added another late goal to win 5-1.

Another tough loss, left more questions than answers...but the effort didn't fade in the third. The loss makes 6 straight to open the season. Plain and simple, the Ice need to find a way to get a win and build from there. The longer it takes to win, the harder it gets. Nobody in the Winnipeg Ice camp is happy about this start, but this event is not a sprint...it's a marathon. Stay the course. Believe.

~Coach