Desperation doesn’t smell quite as bad when it works towards a happy ending.
New West’s Logan Schuss delivered a rocket from about 30-feet out with less than a second remaining in overtime to salvage a 12-12 draw with the Maple Ridge Burrards last week.
It capped a game which saw New West blow an 11-7 lead, where the then-undefeated Burrards flexed their offensive muscles and rallied to force extra time.
Now, the hope is the senior A Salmonbellies can show a little more consistent purpose going forward.
“I’ve watched the game (film)twice now, and while we weren’t outplayed I do think there were moments we let up a lot,” said New West coach Steve Goodwin. “It wasn’t a case of them dominating us and the shots bare that out, but we can do a lot better job, especially in the third.”
That period has been a harbinger of things to come – in the four games they didn’t win, including three losses, New West has been outscored 16-7 in the third.
Outside an early overtime loss to Nanaimo, the club has been outscored in only one other period, and that was in the season opener.
Goodwin said its a byproduct of fitness fitting the game plan.
“We have to be fitter,” he said. “The system we want to play requires we have to get up and down the floor fast, but we also expected it would take six to seven games to get to where we want to be.
“I think we’re there, but we need to see it.”
As the team nears full strength – Anthony Malcom is expected in the lineup tonight, while the team still awaits word on Jeff Cornwall, recuperating from a long NLL season – there are few excuses at their disposal. Sitting fifth overall, at 2-3-1, is not where they want to spend a lot of time.
Rookie Dane Sorensen continues to impress, as he counted three goals against the Burrards, while Schuss finished with four. In his second game with the club, 2016 first round draft pick Mike Messenger also tallied.
New West will put their fitness to another test, hosting 1-4 Langley tonight (Thursday, 7:30 p.m. at Queen’s Park Arena).
