Monday, November 28, 2011

Coach Paris resumes duties in Independence, Missouri

John Paris, Jr. manages things on the bench
Independence, MO - Coach John Paris, Jr. took the Rocky Mountain Roughriders to Independence, Missouri for a two game series with Russell Stovers for Tier I Elite League action. The team made the trip across Kansas in a chartered motor coach. The trip across the plains of Kansas was mostly uneventful.

 The first game took place at the all-new Independence Ice Center, home of the Missouri Mavericks of the Central Hockey League. The Roughriders came out playing fantastic hockey. Russell Stover is a quality hockey team with two key players that need to be watched, Kucera and Galt. The Roughriders did a good job keeping those two guys under control.

Francis Marotte got the start in net as the Roughriders are still looking to name a #1 goaltender. Russell Stover strikes first just 2:52 into the match as they sneak a snapshot into the top side corner of the net. Caleb Pola got things going for the Roughriders at 4:03 of the first period on a self-assisted goal. His first shot climbed over the net and hit the back glass, fell to the ice and Pola scooped up the loose puck and buried his second chance tying the game at 1. The Roughriders continued to have many solid scoring chances but can't quite get the puck in the net. With 5.6 seconds left in the first period Russell Stover gets a faceoff in the Roughriders zone, they pull the goalie to get an extra skater, win the faceoff and find an unprotected five hole to take the lead 2-1 going into the locker room.

The second period continued with fast paced action. Russell Stover grabs a 3-1 lead when Evan Mills stumbles on a fat rebound sitting just outside of the crease at 12:35 of the second. Jared Young takes over for Marotte in net to bolster the Roughriders defenses. At 11:05 of the second period, the Roughriders cough up the puck at the blueline and Russell Stover capitalizes on the mistake and make the Roughriders pay by grabbing a 4-1 lead. Brendan Bilotta and Riley Hillis elevate their game with extra hustle and some big hits to rally their teammates. Russell Stover isn't phased by this and snags another goal at 4:45 of the second and a really strange deflection ticking the score up to 5-1. Marotte goes back in net at this point. Paige Maul gobbles up a loose puck at center ice and races towards the goal 1 on 0. Two dekes and Maul find paydirt for the Roughriders closing the gap to 5-2 at 3:20 of the second.
Braiden Miller battles Russell Stover for loose puck

Cade Warner found himself on the first line after Vincent Guimond dinged his shoulder. Warner grabs the puck on the sideboards and hits a streaking Miller at center ice. Miller is off to the races 1 on 0 against the goalie and, again, two dekes later hits paydirt getting one back from Russell Stover to close the gap to 5-3 at 2:50 left in the second.

Heading back out to the ice for the third period the Roughriders looked poised and ready for the comeback. Russell Stover hoped on a loose puck and buried a shot to go ahead 6-3. Braiden Miller isn't done battling and challenges a loose puck in the corner, wins the battle and fires a shot straight down the goaline and buries the puck in the net against the far pipe to bring the match back to 6-4. Just as soon as the Roughriders get some momentum going it seems to fade. Russell Stover nets another goal right off the faceoff at 11:24 of the third and stretch the lead to 7-4. The Roughriders continue to battle hard for the rest of the game in what is a very high quality, high paced hockey game.

Marotte faced 27 shots and managed 22 saves, while Young faced 7 shots with 5 saves. Braiden Miller led the charge up front with 2 goals and Caleb Pola had a good night with 1 goal and 1 assist.


Official Gamesheet

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