VANCOUVER COMES AWAY WITH OT THRILLER AGAINST THE ROUGHNECKS 2/20/16
By: Di Miller, NLL Correspondent
On Saturday February 20, 2016, the Vancouver Stealth (3-4) would play host to their Western Division rivals, the Calgary Roughnecks (3-5) in front of 3,974 fans at the Langley Events Centre. The last times these two teams met was on January 30 in Calgary on their home turf, the Scotiabank Saddledome and they would come away victorious. This time, with the Stealth at home in front of their fans, they would win in overtime. Final Score: Vancouver 14—Calgary 13.
The game started with Dan MacRae of the Roughnecks scoring first and unassisted 3:14 in the game. That would be the start of a six goal run by the Riggers. Curtis Dickson would put three up on the board in the quarter giving him the hat-trick; Tyler Digby and Karsen Leung would also put points on the board for Calgary. In the first, Frankie Scigliano was unstoppable in between the pipes for the Roughnecks and kept the Stealth scoreless at the end of the period. There would be only one penalty in the first coming from Mitch McMichael of the Stealth for a two minute holding call. Score: Calgary 6—Vancouver 0.
The second quarter started off all Vancouver, with Rhys Duch scoring only 35 seconds in, his first of two in the period. Vancouver would also see Jordan Durston put one between the pipes. But Calgary would close out the half with two more from Dickson, his final of the quarter at 8:16. From that point until the end of the first half the fans would see extreme concentration on the part of the net-minders and no offense from either team. Score at the end of the first half: Calgary 8—Vancouver 3.
At the start of the third, Vancouver wanted to put points on the board and get out of the hole they had dug in the first half. Joel McCready would find the net faster than Duch had done in the start of the second when he scored only 32 seconds in. Duch would get his third of the game also giving him the hat-trick. This would bring them to within three. But the Riggers weren’t ready to let the Stealth back into the game just yet. Jeff Shattler would score, followed by Digby his second of the night; and the final goal of the third for the Roughnecks would come from Reilly O’Connor. That’s when the Stealth kicked it into high gear and Duch would start the Stealth on a four goal streak. Jordan Durston would score; assist to Logan Schuss; with Garrett Billings getting the final two in the third. Vancouver was chipping away at Calgary’s lead. Score at the end of the third: Calgary 12—Vancouver 9.
The fourth was all Vancouver’s. They came alive desperate to beat their Western Division rivals. Logan Schuss would start out the period scoring at 2:09, followed by Corey Small would score twice in the period at 2:33 and 7:24. Durston would score the go-ahead goal at 11:55 but with only nine seconds remaining in the game, Reilly O’Connor would tie it up and send the game into overtime. Score at the end of regulation: Vancouver 13—Calgary 13.
This would be the second time this season that the Stealth have gone into overtime, and Small would be the hero of the night scoring 1:16 into OT giving the Stealth the victory. Final in OT: Vancouver 14—Calgary 13.
Game Stats:
Vancouver Stealth: 55 SOG; 17 SOFF; 79 LB; 21-31 face-offs; .645 FO%; 38-51 saves; .745 SV%
Calgary Roughnecks: 51 SOG; 17 SOFF; 58 LB; 10-31 face-offs; .322 FO%; 41-55 saves; .745 SV%
Each team averaged out on save percentages and was close on shots on goal, but again it’s the all important face-off percentage that makes the difference.
Next weekend, Vancouver (3-4) heads to Colorado to face the first place Mammoth (6-2) at home in Denver on Saturday February 27; and Calgary (3-5) will host the Saskatchewan Rush (4-2) at home on Sunday February 28.
Di Miller, NLL Correspondent
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