The Wolves finally sniffed out a narrow window of offensive opportunity against the Detroit Vipers in Game 6 of the Turner Cup finals Friday at the Horizon.
They pounced on it and held on for a 3-1 victory before 8,553.
Goals by Alexander Semak, Marc Rodgers and Chris Marinucci in a span of 3 minutes 57 seconds midway through the second period were enough for the Wolves to force a decisive Game 7 Monday night at the Horizon.
“We were out there for our lives,” said Wolves coach John Anderson. “We were very desperate and couldn’t afford to make a mistake.”
Despite taking the play to the Vipers for two periods–and outshooting them 28-12 through 40 minutes–the Wolves were nearly frustrated again by Detroit’s sticky defensive zone coverage and goaltender Jeff Reese.
But Friday, the Wolves were able to open and then squeeze through a few cracks.
“That’s a very amazing team over there,” said Vipers coach Steve Ludzik in reference to the Wolves’ offensive skill and high payroll. “They’re like the Edmonton Oilers of the ’80s. We’ve just got to make sure our defensive coverage is letter perfect.”
After the Wolves built a lead, goaltender Stephane Beauregard helped keep the Vipers at bay.
“This might have been his best game of the playoffs,” Anderson said. “He made some key saves.”
Buoyed by four power-play chances, the Wolves outshot Detroit 14-6. But Reese and his teammates held on to keep the game scoreless after 20 minutes.
As in Game 5, Detroit tried to clog the Wolves’ offensive flow through the neutral zone. Still, the Wolves muscled into the Vipers’ end only to have Detroit take away their room and passing options.
The Vipers’ Sylvain Cloutier then cashed in on a power-play chance to take a 1-0 lead at 3:49 of the second period.
Semak tied it at 1-1 at 6:56 during the Wolves’ fifth power play when he cruised down the left wing and fired a shot through Reese. The goal was the first allowed by the Vipers over a stretch of 72:10.
Rodgers was credited with making it 2-1 at 9:06 when he apparently tipped in Steve Larouche’s low 40-foot shot. Marinucci completed the flurry at 10:53.
