One game into a three game series, the Athabasca Aces find themselves in the unenviable position of having to play catch up.
The team opened their North Central Hockey League first round playoff series against the Edson Ice on the road on Saturday night. The back and forth game went to extra time where the Ice secured a 6-5 overtime win to take the all important lead in the series.
Head coach Curtis Creaser liked the effort he saw from his team, which entered the game with a short bench. But the Aces did let a 3-1 second period lead slip away, giving up three unanswered goals to fall behind. They fought back to force overtime, where they ran out of gas.
ìThey scored about 40 seconds into overtime,î noted Creaser.
ìIt was a really good game, if we didnít have that three minute lapse in the second. It was pretty intense, a lot of battles; just hard nosed hockey.î
The Aces will welcome the Ice for Game Two of the series on Saturday at the Athabasca Regional Multiplex at 8:30 p.m. They will be looking to stave off elimination and keep their goal of winning the franchiseís first playoff series alive.
To do so, they will try to bring more of the same effort they brought to Edson, for a full 60 minutes.
ìThe guys battled really hard. It was a really fun game that could have gone either way. Itís a good game to be a part of,î said the coach. ìI donít think we have to change anything.î
One thing the coach will be watching for is the sudden shift in momentum that allowed the Ice to get back into the game in the second period. If he sees something similar happening on Saturday night, he intends to use a time out to calm the game down.
The Aces will also have more skaters on the ice when they play at home this weekend, which they hope will be a difference maker.
If the Aces win Game Two, Game Three will be played the next day in Edson.
