Predators lose heartbreaker to a strong Durham team

With his Niagara Predators holding a 2-1-0 record against teams from the middle of the Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League’s (GMHL) South Division pack, coach Kevin Taylor was expecting last Friday’s game against the Durham Roadrunners to be a litmus test for his young squad. 

Despite dropping a 3-2 decision to a team that swept all four of their games during the 2022-2023 season, the Preds passed the test in front of a large home crowd at Virgil’s Meridian Credit Union Arena. 

“I think we outplayed them,” an amped-up Taylor said after the game. “They outshot us in the second period (23-13) but I didn’t think they were dominant by any means. I said to the guys that I didn’t think we’d win this game. I thought we’d be beaten badly tonight. They’re a championship team that knows how to win. They know how to capitalize.”

That’s exactly what the Roadrunners did. After Shane Kaplan scored on the power play in the first period then added his second goal nine minutes into the second to put Niagara up 2-0, Durham took advantage of the opportunities that came their way to steal the game back.

By the time the second period buzzer sounded, Roadrunners forward Yenry Jibb had scored twice, once on the power play, to knot it up at 2-2. Both goals were the result of heavy traffic in front of Predators’ goaltender Zane Clausen, who was named the game’s first star for stopping 47 of Durham’s 50 shots.

“I thought their first goal didn’t even go in,” Taylor opined. “I thought they pushed Zane into the net. I didn’t think it should have counted. The second one was a breakdown of our penalty kill. There was some miscommunication on my end about what I wanted there.”

The winning goal by Durham’s Zach Burns came during a Predators’ third period power play, when Burns intercepted the puck at the Roadrunners’ blue line and skated in on Clausen. With Preds defender Dylan Denning in pursuit, Burns slipped the puck between Clausen’s pads to put Durham up for good. 

“It was a bad play at the blue line,” lamented Taylor. “Scoring between the legs on Zane on a breakaway, that never happens.”

That power play followed a four minute man advantage for Niagara, during which they had few opportunities to challenge Durham goaltender Jacob Hodgson.

“We didn’t take it to them during that power play,” said Taylor. “We kind of just stood back. The hardest part for the past two years has been our power play. It’s been a problem. Sometimes you just can’t make a play.”

Despite the missed opportunities and the mistakes that led to the loss, Taylor saw Friday’s game as a positive step for the Predators. 

“I’m never happy with a loss, but I’m happy with their performance,” Taylor summed up. “We played well against a team that has the skill and the know-how to win. This shows that we can compete with this team.”

Friday marked the first time for two overseas imports to suit up for the Preds this season. Georgy Kholmovsky arrived from Russia last week and donned number 13, the same uniform he wore in the Preds inaugural Niagara season two years ago. Visa issues kept the forward from returning for 2022-2023. 

Kholmovsky joined new acquisition, Ukrainian Jakov Shevchenko, on a line centred by Rhys Jones. 

“Jones wants to play centre,” explained Taylor. “He’s a player who can get the puck to them. He doesn’t take many shots on net. He’s’ more of a playmaker, and his defensive capabilities I assumed would be a little better than the two new players coming in. He knows the system.”

Unfortunately, Kholmovsky went out early in the game with a wrist injury. 

Now in the fourth week of the young GMHL season, the Preds have yet to hit the road for an away game. A September 23 road trip to Windsor was cancelled when the Aces folded due to an inability to assemble a competitive team this season. And last Saturday’s visit to the Northumberland Stars will need to be rescheduled after the ice surface at Colborne’s Keeler Centre melted. 

“It kind of sucks,” said Taylor, who relishes the opportunity to prepare a feast for his players for every road trip. “That’s really where you have that important team bonding.”

They will hopefully get that first chance to bond next Monday, October 16, when they travel to Oshawa for a rematch against the Roadrunners. 

Before that, though, there’s a home game against the St. George Ravens this Friday night. The Preds beat the Ravens 5-2 on September 22.

“This one week between games is terrible,” Taylor said. “We just have to try to keep the guys focused. Knowing that (Durham) that will be a first or second place team, we have to continue our good play against a team that is not going to be up there in the standings.”

Game time Friday is 7:30 pm.