Chris Clegg
NPHL.com Writer
The High Prairie Regals face the near impossible task of winning four straight games over the Falher Pirates if they want to advance in this year’s NPHL playoffs.
The hometown Pirates defeated HP 7-4 Saturday night to take a 3-0 lead in their NPHL East Division Semi-Final.
Darren Kramer and Dallas Brochu each scored twice while Dakota Mason, Brian Sommers and Trevor Mazurek added the other goals. Mason added three assists, Darren Brochu, Sommers, and Mazurek two assists each.
Brandon McNabb score twice for HP with Ira Gladue and Damian Cardinal adding the others.
FAL led 2-0 in the first period before the game was six minutes old on goals from Kramer and Dallas Brochu. After Gladue pulled HP to within one, Dallas Brochu and Mason put FAL up 4-1.
Kramer, Mazurek and Sommers scored second period goals and FAL led 7-1.
McNabb scored twice in the third period, once shorthanded while Cardinal added the other goal, but FAL was already home and cooled. This game, however, FAL did not release a barrage of third period goals to add salt to the wounds.
FAL has defeated HP nine straight this season – six in the regular season and the first three games of the series.
Game 4 is back in HP Tuesday night with FAL attempting to wrap up the series.
Regals 4 at Pirates 7
Sat., Feb. 9
[Pirates lead series 3-0]
First period
1. FAL, Darren Kramer 2 (Rollie Gladue, Dakota Mason) 4:45 (pp)
2. FAL, Dallas Brochu 4 (Brian Sommers) 5:13
3. HP, Ira Gladue 2 (Dakota Conroy, Lloyd AhKimNachie) 9:03 (pp)
4. FAL, Dallas Brochu 5 (Brian Sommers) 11:07
5. FAL, Dakota Mason 3 (Trevor Mazurek, Darren Brochu) 18:30 (pp)
Penalties: Brendan Cunningham HP (slashing) 3:44, Taylor Cote FAL (cross-checking) 6:46, Pat Rowan FAL (tripping) 11:37, Trevor Mazurek FAL (slashing) 14:01, Jamie MacMinn HP (slashing) 17:01, Lloyd AhKimNachie HP (cross-checking) 19:18.
Second period
6. FAL, Darren Kramer 3 (Darren Brochu, Dakota Mason) 5:06
7. FAL, Trevor Mazurek 3 (Jeff Chalifoux, Trevor Tokarz) 6:39
8. FAL, Brian Sommers 2 (Trevor Mazurek, Dakota Mason) 14:17 (pp)
Penalties: Brendan Cunningham HP and Trevor Mazurek FAL (unsportsmanlike) 6:39, Brennan Walker FAL (holding) 11:58, HP bench minor (served by Brandon McNabb) 13:30, Kole Shaw HP (slashing) 19:12.
Third period
9. HP, Brandon McNabb 1 (Jamie MacMinn) 1:58
10. HP, Damian Cardinal 1 (Brandon McNabb, Kirk Ruecker) 14:06
11. HP, Brandon McNabb 2 (Ira Gladue) 19:46 (sh)
Penalties: Kirk Ruecker HP (tripping) 5:20, Chad Rycroft FAL (delay of game, served by Dakota Mason) 6:33, Darren Brochu FAL (hooking) 8:46, Brendan Cunningham HP (unsportsmanlike) and Lloyd AhKimNachie HP (roughing) and Dan Aubin FAL (slashing, cross-checking) 15:20, Dakota Conroy HP (slashing) 18:11.
Shots on goal:
High Prairie 15 4 12 -31
Falher 13 17 14 -44 Goaltenders: Regals, Kent Ryan [Matt MacMinn in at 11:07 of first period];
Pirates, Chad Rycroft.
Power Plays: HP 1-7; FAL 3-8.
Penalties in Minutes: HP 20; FAL 18.