It was ugly at the Cariboo Memorial Arena in Williams Lake Saturday night and it could have been uglier, as the Quesnel Kangaroos extended their early-season record to 5-0 with a convincing 8-4 win over the Williams Lake Stampeders.
The win, puts the Kangaroos four points ahead of the Stampeders, former Coy Cup champions, in the East Division standings.
“It’s a huge win,” Curtis Gassoff, who played for the Stampeders last season said with a big grin.
The key to the win was playing a physical game against the talent-laden Stampeders, Gassoff explained.
"We took the body every chance we had," he said.
That physical play did eventually take it's toll on the Stampeders as they appeared sluggish in the third period. The 'Roos took advantage of the situation as Gassoff collected two goals in the period to round out the scoring.
"We just kept coming at them," added Paul Girodat who scored a hat trick and added four helpers for the 'Roos.
The score could have been more lop-sided in favour of the ‘Roos had the referee not given the Stampeders a 12-6 edge in powerplays.
“It’s tough,” ‘Roos coach Win Winofsky said.
“You can’t beat the refs, you just have to play through it.
“I thought the boys did a great job.”
In fact, the Stampeders only managed one powerplay goal, thanks in large part to the efforts of ‘Roos netminder Ryan Manderson who stopped 32 of 36 shots fired his way.
“He had another great game for us,” Winofsky said.
After the Stampeders opened the scoring on the powerplay midway through the first period, Girodat evened up the score for the Roos on the powerplay as he weaved out of the corner and fired a high shot from the slot that beat Stampeders netminder Justin Foote high stick-side.
Nick Tomassetti made it 2-1 for Quesnel a few minutes later and Girodat added his second of the period, again unassisted, a short-handed marker just three minutes later to give the ‘Roos a 3-1 lead.
The Stampeders got that one back on a goal by Francis Johnson, but Walon L’Hereux restored the ‘Roos two-goal lead when he jammed home a loose puck in the crease.
The teams scored two goals each in the second period to run the score to 6-4.
Rigby Burgart and Girodat lit the lamp for the ‘Roos.
The Kangaroos have a pair of games at home this weekend, as they face the Terrace River Kings Saturday evening and the Lac La Hache Tomahawks Sunday afternoon at Twin Arenas.