Pandas hockey sleeps for two periods, takes late win over Bisons

“Just shoot the puck.”

After a scoreless 45 minutes, capped off by only 14 shots on goal for each team heading into the third, that’s what fans where thinking.

It’s hard to blame them. The mind numbing first two periods were unusual for the usual goal-per-period University of Alberta Pandas. But it was just another game for the Manitoba Bisons who narrowly missed the shutout defeat on February 7, somehow managing to get past a league best goalie, a topped ranked power play, and even a conference low 29 goals against.

Explain that.

“I wish I had an answer,” head coach Howie Draper said.

“They’re a fast team. We just took a while to adjust to that tempo, and play that game too. Unfortunately, we let them dictate in terms of defence.”

“We do have a chance that we could finish first overall. But I don’t know, maybe there’s just a little complacency that kind of seeps in. The mentality that’s like, oh, we already got there.”

There it is.

Looking ahead into two bye weekends, the Pandas might have pumped the breaks on an a one-sided performance prematurely.

“I think we all breathed a collective sigh, when [Izzy Lajoie] scored,” Draper said.

You could hear the sigh of relief when the overtime threat had left Clare Drake, and see the motivation it pumped into the Pandas. Right on the power play, in fact.

“It’s like, okay, we’re good now, let’s just play it.”

And play it they did. Abby Soyko took the power play assist, ran right into the net, and scored the Pandas’ second and final goal of the game for a 2-1 win.

“[Soyko’s] become our strongest offensive contributor. So I hope she can keep it going,” Draper said.

With 19 points in 10 games, it’s likely. The top six forward is on track to lead the Pandas’ offence straight into playoffs, and leave that nasty mid-season injury in the past. At least the Pandas need her to, or a defensive game is all they’ll play.

Not that a defensive game is terrible — it’s a big component in why the Pandas have been so successful, and it’s all led by Grace Glover who’s jaw dropping 0.71 goals against average leaves no room for losses.

Glover shutout streak ends

“You’re going to give up opportunities. You hope that when you do, your goalie is there to make the saves. And I think for the most part, [Glover] did that for us.”

Until a rebound of the blocker found its way into the Pandas’ unlucky net, taking the game within one, and ending Glover’s shutout streak, she did.

“She knows that she kept us in that game. She knows that she was probably our best player on the ice today. So that’ll help her maintain her confidence level,” Draper said

It’s true, she matched the Bisons’ goaltending for two long periods, making the lost shutout with less than a minute left, that much stranger. Much like playing through a 0-0 score for 45 minutes.

How do we understand this odd, slow-start performance?

“You need to be a psychologist.”