The Westlock Junior Rock split their last two home games of the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League regular season and now gear up for the playoff grind.
The Rock started the weekend with a 12-3 win over the North Edmonton Wizards June 17, but dealing with a short bench, fell 8-7 on Sunday to the Sherwood Park Titans. The split leaves the club with a 7-7 mark atop the RMLL Tier II North Conference.
The Rock snapped a five-game losing streak with the Spirit Centre win against the Wizards, but two suspensions from the game left them with a shallow bench against the Titans which will continue to hurt the Rock as they move into playoffs.
“It was pretty good to get that win, but one of the guys might be missing for a the series,” said head coach Mike Ivey, adding that the team’s performance with the missing players bodes well moving forward.
“I thought we had a lot of guys step up and fill their place,” Ivey said.
In Sunday afternoon’s game against the Titans, it was a case of too little, too late. The Rock started the game down 5-1 in the first period and despite a fierce comeback, couldn’t close the gap.
“We had a slow start, but that’s been our story all year,” Ivey said.
“Our boys didn’t give up and that was fun. It’s exciting for the fans and we’re loving it. It’s tough when you comeback and don’t finish the job, but I thought the boys battled well.
“Our goaltender really stood on his head,” he added.
The Rock will possibly get another shot at the Titans in the second round of playoffs, if they’re able to get past the Vermilion Roar, who they’ll face in a three-game series this coming weekend.
Ivey said that he’s optimistic the rematch will go their way if they can survive shorthanded against the Roar.
The key to success, he added, will be to work with the same formula that’s worked well for the Rock all season.
“When we get the momentum going, it’s pretty solid,” Ivey said.
“It was a top team that we played today, but they are beatable. We’ll get them in the second round.”
