With only five games remaining on their schedule, the 9-6 Rockyview Silvertips Junior B lacrosse team gained a much-needed point when they faced off with a divisional rival in the 9-6 Calgary Chill on June 28. It was a game with major playoff implications. The game started with the Silvertips getting off to a hot start. The Tips scored two goals off the sticks of Carson Gron and Griffen Hall to give the home side an early 2-0 lead within the first ten minutes of the first period, but Calgary came back firing with three consecutive goals including one with 58 seconds remaining in the period to give the Chill a 3-2 lead after one. The visitors doubled their lead three minutes into the second frame to 4-2 with Rockyview quickly responding with a pair of their own. Colby Gulutzan took a feed from Nolan Oakey and fired a shot that beat the Chill goaltender at the 12:43 mark and was followed up by Oakey getting a goal of his own just four minutes after Gulutzan's marker tying the game back up. Calgary would regain their lead once more after a goal with one second left in the second frame taking a 5-4 lead into the third period of play. The Silvertips came out like a team possessed in the early portion of the third quarter, owning majority of the play while also getting goals from Josh Halcro and Matthew McKee in the process. Calgary responded to knot the game up at six but Adam Bartolome scored a minute later to give the Silvertips another one goal advantage with just over seven minutes to play in the contest. At the 5:38 mark of the period, the Silvertips went to the power play looking to possibly put the game away, but Calgary rushed up the floor and got a shorthanded tally from one of their forwards to tie up the game and send it to overtime. The five minute overtime period was tense with a lot of back-and-forth action from both sides. Goaltenders had to make some big saves in order to preserve a possible win for their respected teams, while the Silvertips and Chill also had a few chances to give their team the extra point. But time would expire with the scoreboard reading sevens across the board, resulting in a tie. Silvertips captain Nolan Morrison said the game was hotly contested and that both teams were aware of the overtime rules. If no one scored, the game would remain a tie. "It was a tough fought battle and quite frankly a back and forth game all the way through ... it's what we expect playing a team like the Chill," Morrison said. "As for overtime, I think everyone was aware of the game ending in a draw. The veterans on the teams, the coaches and referees all do a good job of making sure everyone has a sense of awareness with what's happening on the floor." The Silvertips and Chill have had some close games so far this season. Calgary has taken the first two games by scores of 5-3 and 15-10, but Morrison said there are some positives that can be taken out the game despite the fact they didn't come out with a victory. "I think a positive we can take from the game is that we're competing with a team we're likely going to see in the playoffs. The tie helps us to find the smaller parts of our game that need work and help prevent some of those breakdowns we had throughout the night," said Morrison. "It's definitely a confidence builder knowing that we can run with them (the Chill). They're a team that we've been battling with in the standings all year and we're starting to have close games with them and close the gap a little bit." While he was held off the score sheet during the game, Morrison also commented on the play of mid-season acquisition Matthew Dyck, who is third on the team with 18 goals and 34 points in only six games. The two players who lead the team in scoring in Nolan Oakey and Colby Gulutzan have 46 and 42 points respectively while playing in six more games. "Matthew (Dyck) has been a great addition to our team. He's an all around player that loves to get into the dirty areas of the floor but he can also fill the net," Morrison said. "He's been a huge asset as a mid-season addition to the team." Rockyview now has four games remaining on their schedule including games against the first-ranked Red Deer Rampage and second ranked Edmonton Warriors. The Silvertips captain said these last stretch of games should be exciting before playoffs starting July 6 and 8 against the Olds Mavericks and the Rampage. "They should be some pretty exciting games this weekend," Morrison said. "As we get closer to the end of the regular season, everyone is ramping up for playoffs and trying to bring their best game possible."
