Game Day Review: A Dominant 3rd Period Pulls Riga to a 3-0 Series Lead

[Bonzaijoe 74]

                With a cup for the Reign in sight, those player’s eyes are most certainly on the prize, which they have the chance of winning in the next game if they’re able to pull another victory from the Calgary Stampede. My eyes, however, are still on last night’s performance from the Riga Reign, and how they were able to use the second period of last night’s game to pull themselves back from a 1 goal deficit, grab the lead, and create a dominant third period performance to seal their third win in three games in this best-of-seven cup final. I’d like to focus on the third period though, and look more into the dominant, nine to four shot differential period where the Reign were able to defensively excel and shut down the Wranglers best scorers from making much of a forceful comeback in the final period of the game in front of their home crowd.

                First things first, I have to take a look at Calgary’s discipline in the final minutes of this game, questioning the reasoning for the two minor penalties that were committed by Louth and Johnsson at the 12 and 16 minute mark of the period respectively. Other than another offsetting fighting major split between the two teams, no other penalties were called in the 20 minute span. This discipline shown by Riga kept the Wranglers’ chances low, and their coaches smile wide. Calgary struggled to stay out of the box, though, and especially with the penalty that ran until the 18:07 mark of the 3rd period, the team struggled to maintain chances due to playing 4v5 for almost half of the final ten minutes of the game.

                Riga was keeping the puck out of their faceoff circles as well. In the third period of the game, the puck was dropped in the Wranglers zone 14 times, while only 8 times was it thrown down next to Reign G Kallis Kriketers. Take with this what you will, but the forcing of the puck for a stretch pass by Calgary may have ended in some untimely icings in the period, or maybe the Reign out-chancing and out-shooting them in the period took its toll, but the Wranglers could never seem to get that quality chance they needed in the late minutes of this game.

                Between possession and discipline, Calgary struggled to produce late in last night’s game 3 performance. The result was a 3-2 Riga victory, resulting in the Reign pulling to a commanding 3-0 lead on the finals. The end is in sight for this season of the VHL, but the Wranglers are looking to pull the upset of a lifetime, which will require the reverse sweep. Riga has been dominating a lot of aspects in these games so far, so a miracle might have to come out in order for Calgary to re-gain their mojo back and get their footing on this series. Can the Wranglers come back and make this interesting? Or are the Reign looking to enjoy this offseason, spending their free time with the sweet sounds of victory ringing in their ears? Game four should be an interesting one, but time will be the ultimate teller.