IceCaps prepare for road test
The St. John’s IceCaps quest for a American Hockey League playoff berth takes them to New England this weekend, where they begin a six-game road trip. The IceCaps are five points out of eighth place, the final-post-season berth in the Eastern Conference, with a few teams to climb over to get to that spot. A look at the AHL Eastern Conference standings heading into Tuesday:
Keith McCambridge still had that thick head of hair Tuesday morning, which meant he hadn’t pulled it all out watching his IceCaps play the Worcester Sharks Sunday evening at Mile One Centre.
But the St. John’s coach did joke he had a few more grey strands, thanks to the IceCaps falling behind 2-0 after the first period and 4-0 after 40 minutes, before rallying with four unanswered goals in the third and capping it in overtime on Brenden Kichton’s tally 3:25 into the extra session, his second of the game.
“You could hear the players talking about it this morning,” said McCambridge after Tuesday morning’s practice, which followed an off-day Monday. “They were still pretty excited.
“But it’s died down. They knew today was a day they were going to come to the rink and put in a heavy work day at practice.
“Yes, guys were happy and excited, but at the same time, they realized that’s not the way we want to play. They know that it has to be better every single period.”
The IceCaps managed a split of the weekend series with the Sharks, giving them four wins in five games as they head out on a six-game road trip, which includes three games in three days starting Friday in Manchester, N.H.
The IceCaps are 23-23-5-2 and five points from a playoff spot. The Sharks are eighth in the American Hockey League’s Eastern Conference.
“That was a huge win,” McCambridge said of Sunday’s victory over Worcester. “We lose that one and we’re really scraping and clawing. We know coming down the stretch how much these games mean.”
The IceCaps could get a lift in the next week or two with the return of Jason Jaffray to the lineup. Jaffray is skating in practice, albeit in a red non-contact jersey. Rookie Scott Kosmachuk, who missed the Worcester series, will travel with the team along with defencemen Ryan Parent and Kris Fredheim, who were also in red.
McCambridge said injured goalie Peter Budaj will return to St. John’s this Friday to begin office workouts. Budaj has been in Colorado since the AHL’s all-star break nursing an injury and awaiting the birth of his second child — he and wife Taylor had their second boy.
So Jussi Olkinuora will remain with the IceCaps for now. Olkinuora replaced Connor Hellebuyck to start the third period Sunday, and was credited with his first AHL win this season.
They knew today was a day they were going to come to the rink and put in a heavy work day at practice.
Keith McCambridge