It was a loss that felt like a victory.
Entering the third period in Saturday evening’s game against Sturgeon, the Renegades were 7-3 down.
It looked like they were facing annihilation. Their opponents were bigger, busier and had bossed much of the second period.
When Sturgeon scored an eighth at 18:38 of the third, everyone at the Agrena must have feared the worst.
Everyone except the Renegades, that is. It was as if they collectively decided “enough is enough, let’s show people what we are made of.”
Which is what they did. They took the fight to Sturgeon and were rewarded at 10:42 with a goal by Lee Worobec.
Assisted by Nic Murrell, Worobec scored another at 9:54 and suddenly there was a tangible sense that momentum had changed.
The Renegades looked up for a scrap; they were full of energy and belief. They even began to look taller and stronger.
It was no surprise when they added a sixth goal at 2:52 through Carlitto Betts, assisted by Murrell and Johnathan Cross.
The 8-6 score now had a respectable look about it. The only pity was that the Renegades had left their comeback too late. Had there been a fourth period, they may well have entered it as favourites.
As it is they gave coach Jason Murrell plenty of grounds for optimism for the rest of the season.
“I am very proud of the third period,” he said. “They kept battling and remaining positive.”
Murrell said the Renegades had got off to a difficult start in the game, with bad bounces costing them a couple of first period goals. Later they would run into penalty problems.
Although the Renegades scored twice in the first through Trey Olson (6:59) and Aaron Wharton (6:02), they ended it trailing 3-2 after conceding a goal at 0:51.
The second period belonged to Sturgeon who scored four times. The Renegades only answered once through Wharton at 8:38, with assists by Cross and Olson.
The scene was then set for the Renegades’ gutsy fightback.
