Preds face tough test to close 2023

With eight games on their schedule against Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League teams at or near the top of their divisions, the Niagara Predators will close the calendar year with their toughest test yet. 

Between now and December 22, they play North York, Durham and the Bradford Bulls twice each, and face the North Division’s Temiscaming Titans and West Nipissing Lynx once each in the league’s annual showcase tournament. The Titans and Lynx hold down the third and fourth positions in their divisions, while the other three teams, with a combined record of 49-16-2, hold down the top three spots in the Preds’ own South Division.

With all of that facing them, coach Kevin Taylor could have used a positive result in their only game last weekend. But a tough 5-2 loss to the South’s fourth place Tottenham Railers has left him once again searching for answers. 

“I never thought in a million years that we’d have been in the situation we’re in now,” Taylor told The Local Tuesday. “I have no explanation for what’s happening. I’ve been trying to reflect on whether it’s me or the guys. I talk to Rob (owner Rob Turnbull) about four times a day and we just can’t figure it out.”

Sunday’s loss leaves Niagara with a record of 8-11-1, placing them second from the bottom in their division, three points behind St. George and Northumberland, who are tied in fifth.

The Preds struck first Sunday in Newmarket, with the team’s leading scorer Luca Fernandez beating Railers’ goalie Nicolas Perrault with 2:22 remaining in the period. But before they could skate off the Magna Centre ice, Tottenham’s James McLean was left undefended in front of Preds netminder Zane Clausen just long enough to tie it up at 19:31.

McLean scored again early in the second, then teammate Ryan Anderson put the Railers up 3-1 less than four minutes into the second. Isaac Locker closed the gap to 3-2 when he beat Perrault with five minutes remaining. 

Niagara kept it close for much of the third period, but the result of a bit of a melee in the last five minutes led to a long power play opportunity for Tottenham. 

“We were actually on our own power play,” Taylor explained. “One of our guys finished a check, and it should have been a penalty on us, but it wasbn’t called. They jumped on our guy and started punching him, then another guy jumped in, then Cam Savoie got in there. The referee didn’t know who was on the bottom, and we got a five minute penalty.”

That opened the door for Anderson’s second goal and another insurance marker from Émile Martin less than a minute apart.

Though the shots on goal were almost identical, 48-47 in favour of the Railers, Niagara never really mounted a consistently steady attack against Tottenham. Many of their drives into the Railers’ end resulted in turnovers followed by retreats back into the defensive zone. 

“They played bad,” said Taylor of the Railers, “but we played worse.”

It was a disappointing result against a team whom the Predators are in reality evenly matched. Especially disappointing in light of the challenges facing them over their next eight games. 

“We have to play better, from the goalie to the centre position, right to the bench,” Taylor lamented. “Our coaching has to be better as well. We are losing games we shouldn’t be losing. Am I preparing them well enough for these games? It falls on me. But you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make them drink.”

On the positive side, Sunday’s game marked the return of Niagara’s number one goalie Clausen. The North Dakota native has been rehabilitating a knee injury since last appearing between the pipes in a 7-1 win at home against the Northumberland Stars on October 27. 

“With Zane now playing the games he should be playing,” said Taylor, “we hopefully won’t be having these nail biters. We should have a little more swagger in our step.”

The Preds host the first place North York Renegades, who boast a 19-1-1 record, Friday night at the Meridian Credit Union Arena. Niagara has lost all four games thus far this season against North York, 

That’s followed by three games in three days, starting Monday in Oshawa against the 15-7-1 Durham Roadrunners. 

Tuesday and Wednesday the action shifts to the Gale Centre in Niagara Falls, where all 15 teams in the league will convene for the annual GMHL showcase. The Preds take on 13-9-1 Temiscaming Titans at 12:15 pm Tuesday, and are back on the ice at 9:00 am Wednesday against the 13-8-2 Lynx. Admission to those two games is free.