Despite being outshot 24-8 through two periods of play, the Lloydminster Bobcats found themselves down by a single goal with a prime opportunity to tie things up early in the third, but the Calgary Canucks added another three in the final 20 minutes to take a 5-1 victory Saturday night.
The Bobcats failed to convert on a 5-on-3 power play early in the third, and weren't able to grab momentum from the Canucks before Brayden Brown extended his team's lead to 3-1 just shy of the midway point of the final period.
A late goal from Parker Ward, followed by a power play tip in from Matthew Painchaud salted away tonight's contest for the Canucks, who kicked a two game losing streak and will now stay two points back of the South Division leading Brooks Bandits.
Mark Drohan got the scoring going in the first period as he picked up a drop pass from Braydon Jenkins just inside the Bobcats blueline before walking in on Jeremy Kelleway and beating the netminder with a nifty forehand backhand move to give his team a 1-0 lead. The Canucks kept that lead into the first intermission, and had a shot advantage of 13-4.
The second period was very similar to the first, with the Canucks controlling much of the play but Kelleway and the Bobcats keeping the puck out of the net until Andrew Marshall deflected a point shot up and under the cross bar to make it a two goal lead for the Canucks.
However, the Bobcats had a prompt response on a power play just over a minute later, as Zach Webb tipped a Scott Ivey shot in the slot and fooled Caiden Kreitz to cut the Calgary lead to 2-1 heading into the final 20 minutes. Unfortunately for the Cats, that's as close as they would get tonight.
. @LloydBobcats goal! ?? @zach_webb8 assist by @poisonivo19 2-1 Canucks at the end of the first. pic.twitter.com/ATkiGx714M
— Bobcats Replay (@bobcatsreplay) November 20, 2016
Kelleway got the start tonight and did all he could to give his team a chance to win, keeping Lloydminster within one until well into the third period. The Canucks were able to break through for a few goals late, but Kelleway finished the game with 31 saves on 35 shots.
In the other net, Caiden Kreitz wasn't tested often by the Bobcats, but had a strong performance of his own right allowing just one goal on 16 shots for his second win of the year.
Both teams found themselves on the man advantage four times tonight, and each side converted once.
Next action for the Bobcats is a midweek road swing to Drayton Valley on Tuesday and Sherwood Park on Wednesday before returning home for Teddy Bear Toss Night against Fort McMurray on Saturday.