Mark Hendricks' six point evening propelled the Soviets to a convincing 6-1 win over the Puck Ewes on Tuesday night, giving the Comrades their third consecutive win and more credence to the argument that the season may not be lost.
"We're loose right now and we're having fun," Hendricks said after the game. "I think people counted us out when we were dead last and only had one win. But now we are finding out groove, one game at a time."
The Soviets, after winning only once in their first nine games (1-7-1) have now won three straight, with each win coming against an opponent higher in the standings than the previous. In their past three contests, they have defeated the 5th, 4th, and 2nd place teams, accruing an impressive aggregate score of 25-8 during the brief streak.
"We're still not where we need to be defensively," Ryan Odell said. "A lot of issues with gap control and breakouts, but we're playing the brand of hockey that the mistakes aren't killing us. We were positionally sound enough to get by last game."
Odell, who played in his first game on Tuesday after returning from a back injury, was quick to point out positives as well.
"I don't think I've ever seen a team have a higher conversion rate than we did. They would have the puck for minutes at a time, then we would get it, go down the rink, get one chance and score. That's back crippling. That's Red Army hockey."
Odell scored a goal just as he described about midway through the second period. With the score tied at one and the Puck Ewes pressing for the go ahead marker, they pinned the Comrades deep in their own zone for over three minutes of attack time. When the Comrades were finally able to break out of the zone, Hendricks found Odell with a rink wide pass and Odell ripped a slap shot from just inside the blue line. The puck ricocheted off a defender, who was jostling with Mike D'Ignazio in front, and past the goalie to give the Comrades a 2-1 lead.
The Puck Ewes would continue pressing as the period continued, but a neutral zone gaffe sprung Hendricks on a breakaway, and the forward was able to slide the puck home on a nifty backhand deke.
Though the Comrades carried a 3-1 lead into the third period, it was not enough to satisfy D'Ignazio.
"I was pretty vocal between periods," D'Ignazio said. "I was calling out the forwards for not playing defense, I was calling out the defense for not chipping in offensively. It was a very inspired speech."
"I didn't even know that guy was on our team," Jason White said. "He was so angry."
Though the Puck Ewes would again carry the puck for most of the 3rd period, it was the Soviets providing the knock out blows. Hendricks scored his second of the game on a high snap shot through a screen, then tacked on the hat trick on a well placed wrist shot after collecting a feed from Pete Collis.
"It was tough to pass to him, given our current 'Words With Friends' battle, but he was open," Collis said.
Added Hendricks, "Triple goal!"
D'Ignazio would tack on the final goal of the game with just a few minutes remaining to add a little salt in the Puck Ewes wounds.
"Overall I was pretty pleased with our performance," Captain Steve Hand said. "Not bad. Not bad at all."
"For the record, I also scored," Tony Horton said.
THREE STARS:
#3: Tony Horton
#2: Ryan Odell
#1: Mark Hendricks
BOXSCORE:
First Period:
1: Horton (Hendricks)
Second Period:
2: Odell (Hendricks)
3: Hendricks (unassisted)
Third Period:
4: Hendricks (unassisted)
5: Hendricks (Collis)
6: D'Ignazio (Hendricks)
Penalties:
Hendricks (hooking, 2 minutes)
Special Teams:
Power Play: 0 for 2
Penalty Kill: 0 for 0
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