The Guelph Reapers have had one of the most frustrating seasons a team could ever have. Frustrating for both its fans and the team itself. It has been hilighted with so many highs and lows.
The team is barely above 500 percent despite having the leagues top 2 scorers, and 3 of the top 10. It has had huge losing streaks, and equally impressive winning streaks.
So entering a home and away with the two best teams in the RHL on back to back nights, most expected ugly results for Guelph Reaper fans.
What occurred instead was two dominant statements... two clear and decisive wins against the two best teams in the RHL.
It started at home versus the 32 and 10 Baffin Island Rovers. In a game where they were expected to lose, and even the team management had contemplated starting 4th string goalie Alex Auld in loo of that expectation, the Reapers pounded the heavily favoured Rovers.
The Reapers would pound Chris Mason and the Rovers relentlessly all night. 46 shots peppered the goalie, and 9 goals slid past him. It was an outright dominant win. The Reapers dominated the boards, controlled the offensive zone and never relented their attack. Teemu Selanne led the attack, with a 7 point night! His hat trick also led the way in goals. Shane Doan and Vincent Lecavalier both missed a hat trick by just one goal, with Lecavalier having a 5 point night. 8 different Reapers had a multiple point game. The Rovers were so shaken by the ease of the victory for the Reaper team, that they went right out to acquire Norstrom, not even knowing the Reapers were also in the Norstrom hunt.
Next the Reapers had to travel to Calgary to face the Vampyres. The Vampyres had an even more impressive 37 and 9 record, and at home were the best team in the league, as they were overall. Facing the impossible, winning in Calgary on no rest, the Reapers once more sent a message. Not the dominating offensive show they had before, but now a message sent by former Vampyre number one goalie Marty Turco.
On this night both teams would show off their offences. The Reapers used 36 shots on Backstrom to net their 4 goals. However all they really would need was 2, as Marty Turco stood on his head to teach his former team the price of letting him go. Marty Turco stopped 40 of 41 shots in his best game as a Reaper.
Martin Straka, Alexei Yashin, Pavel Kubina and Shane Doan all had multiple point games. However a streak had ended in the win. Vincent Lecavalier had no points, ending a streak of dominance seldom seen in the RHL.
Vincent Lecavalier had a 7 game point streak end, with 11 goals, and 21 points in those 7 games! A lesser streak, Geoff Sanderson's 3 game point streak also ended. However Teemu Selanne netted a goal to continue his 8 game point streak. He has 7 goals, 16 assists for 23 points in those 8 games. Shane Doan had his goal scoring streak broken by injuries, but healthy, he has 8 goals in his past 7 games, and 11 points. Radim Vrbata has a 8 game point streak as well, with 15 points in that stretch. Martin Straka has 10 points in his last 7 games. Travis Roche and Pavel Kubina both have 7 points in their past 7 games... and Alexei Yashin has 7 points in his past 4 games.
For the top line of Selanne, Lecavalier and Vrbata, the offense has been explosive. A collective 23 goals and 59 points in the past 8 games. Even the second unit of Yashin, Straka and Doan have combined for 13 goals and 29 points in the past 7 games.
The Reapers now get a day off to rest (althout travel back home) to meet the Sockeyes tomorrow night. With deadline day today, the Reapers management will be staying behind from the trip to try to focus the entire day on trade talks, rather then lose time travelling.
Rumours say the Reapers while interested in many things, will likely not make any moves of consequence on this day.
Of note for the Reapers, they have outscored their opposition 21 to 5 in the past 3 games, a three game win streak. If not for a one goal loss to the T-Men, the Reapers would have 8 straight games with at least a point.
If not for a start that saw the team lose 9 of their first 13 games... the Reapers would be a sure thing for the playoffs.
Reporting for your Reapers,
Sal Trachan
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
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