Ryan Loach and his fellow Skyhawks celebrate Justin Villeneuve's game winning goal on Royals goalie Jim Murray. If Thursday night was any indication, local hockey fans are going to be in for a whale of an opening round playoff series.
Ryan Loach and his fellow Skyhawks celebrate Justin Villeneuve's game winning goal on Royals goalie Jim Murray.
If Thursday night was any indication, local hockey fans are going to be in for a whale of an opening round playoff series.
The North Bay Skyhawks almost had a four goal lead evaporate on Thursday night, but were able to hold off the Temiscaming Royals by a score of 6-5 at Le Centre.
Justin Villeneuve scored the winner for the Skyhawks with less than seven minutes to go in the game, just after Benoit Fiset had tied the game up a minute earlier.
"We were focused for a period and a half and then we ran into some penalty troubles, some questionable ones I thought, but you have to roll with the punches," Skyhawks head coach Ian Swalucynski said following the victory.
"We've clinched first place already and we'll be playing these guys again in the playoffs so we'll have to be ready. Our team was made for the playoffs so we just have to get focused and ready for the big dance."
The Skyhawks came out like a house of fire in the first, as Dan Frawley found the back of the net just 48 seconds into the game. Kody Carnavale and Ryan Loach would make it 3-0 soon after, with the Skyhawks holding an 8-1 advantage on shots on goal halfway through the frame.
"I've asked the guys before: 'how come we always seem to come out flat early on?'" Royals head coach Steve McCharles said in regards to his team's slow start.
"We have a tough time getting motivated or prepared for the games, but we usually get rolling once the game progresses.
"However, I have a feeling that I won't have to motivate these guys when we get into the playoffs and face North Bay again," McCharles added, as his team prepares for a two game road trip, starting in Manitoulin tonight.
In the second the Royals got on the board thanks to a power play goal by Corey Raymond, but North Bay responded with goals from Brad Hummel and former Royal Corey Marquardt, who was making his debut for the Skyhawks. Niko Tonello would cut the Skyhawks lead down to three goals going into the third, which would see North Bay having to kill off a seven minute power play, after Frawley was given two minutes for interference, five minutes for cross checking and a game misconduct.
The Royals were able to use the power play to their advantage, as Clayton Happyjack and Rylan Henley both scored on the Skyhawks Riley Ross to cut the lead back down to one goal. After the power play expired, both teams traded chances before Fiset's game-tying goal, which sent the Royals fans into a frenzy.
After a timeout, the Skyhawks showed why they're the top team in the NOJHL this season, as they forced a turnover leading to Villenuve's goal on Royals netminder Jim Murray. The Royals kept firing away during the final minutes, outshooting the Skyhawks by a two-to-one margin in the final frame, but were unable to put one in the back of the net.
The final ten seconds game also saw two fights which may be an indication of what to expect when these teams play again on March 1st in the season finale, along with their opening round playoff series. The first was a long spirited affair with Stephan Gunner of the Royals and Joel Senecal of the Skyhawks, which saw Gunner busted open with blood streaming down onto his white jersey. The second occurred just four seconds later, as Nathan Vail and Axel Bousquet had a quick tilt.
The Skyhawks have two more games this weekend, a road game against Abitibi on Saturday night before returning home to face Sudbury on Sunday evening, as they get prepared for what looks to be a back and forth opening round series with the Royals.
"Well for my heart's sake and the hair that I have left on my head I don't want that," Swalucynski joked.
"All the games we've played against each other have been exciting and in the playoffs it'll be a different game. We just have to use our assets and that's our speed and our skill."
