Condors face must-win game today on home ice
It was, perhaps, the worst 20 minutes of hockey the Condors played all season and it came at the worst possible time — the first game of a best-of-three playoff series.
And now, after a 5-1 loss to the Ontario Reign on Wednesday night on the road, the Condors face a must-win situation tonight on home ice.
Win and the series will be decided in Game 3 on Sunday in Ontario. Lose and come Monday the ice will be slowly melting away at Mechanics Bank Arena.
“For almost 25 minutes of the game we were pretty even,” Condors coach Colin Chaulk said. “We had two Grade A chances we missed on in the first.”
The 0-0 game turned into a 3-0 deficit for the Condors in just over seven minutes in the second period as the Reign scored a 5-on-5 goal, a power-play goal and a shorthanded goal.
“A rush against goal that we feel was preventable,” Chaulk said. “Then a power play goal, we had the puck on our stick, again preventable. Then we had a power play and I think everyone felt we had an opportunity to get back in the game and 10 seconds later we’re down 3-nothing.”
Three little mistakes. Three goals against.
“It could not have been a worse situation,” Chaulk said. “From there we lost momentum and couldn’t get it back.”
On the plus side, today’s 7 p.m. game at Mechanics Bank Arena starts with a clean slate.
“Part of our playoff mantra is we’re going to flush it so we have to stare it in the face first,” Chaulk said. “We did that (Thursday). We talked about the things we need to correct and (Friday) the focus is on what we need to do.
“They’re a good team, a hard team. Big bodies. Their 1-3-1 is exceptional. We know that. We need to do a better job at playing faster and dictating the play like we’ve done in the past against them.”
What might be a bit of an issue for the Condors is that their top three goal producers — Raphael Lavoie (28), Lane Pederson (22) and Seth Griffith (15) — all ended the regular season without a goal in their last five games.
Those three did connect on a 6-on-4 power play against Ontario (Pederson goal with assists from Griffith and Lavoie).
“If it was a lack of chances I think it would be more concerning,” Chaulk said. “Lane had two point-blank chances in the first and we’ve seen him bury those lots of times. If he wasn’t getting those opportunities it would be more concerning.
“Raphael Lavoie (is getting) shots. I think if that wasn’t happening it would be more concerning. We just have to focus on being hard and executing. And we’ve got a chance to do it on home ice.
“The team that makes the least amount mistakes will have a better chance. I think we need to just make sure we’re playing playoff hockey and in playoff mode and respond here at home. I think our guys are really excited to have that opportunity.”