CALGARY, AB — Revenge.
Vengeance.
Retribution.
However you decide to word it, the Calgary Roughnecks are looking to give the Vancouver Stealth a taste of their own medicine this weekend.
“You’ve just got to shake it off and luckily we get a shot at redemption next week,” Roughnecks sophomore forward Wesley Berg stated.
On Jan. 6, Vancouver went into the Rough House and disappointed the fans by defeating the home team 12-11 in its home opener.
And they did so in pretty convincing fashion.
The Stealth got out to a 7-2 lead and would never relinquish it, despite a valiant comeback effort by the home squad. The Roughnecks scored the final four goals of the game and just missed the tying attempt with the final seconds ticking off the clock.
Ending with that much momentum and confidence is a big source of hope heading into this weekend.
On Saturday, Calgary will look to bring that confidence into Vancouver’s home opener, with the hope of turning the tables on the Stealth, who won back-to-back games in Calgary and Colorado to open their season.
“We’ve had slow starts the last two seasons,” said forward Curtis Dickson. “We can’t afford to do it this year, so we’ve got to figure things out quick and come back with a better effort next weekend.”
There will be a noticeably different look on the Roughnecks end of the floor this weekend.
They will welcome back starting goaltender Frank Scigliano and defenceman Greg Harnett and Garrett McIntosh after they served their suspensions in Week 1.
That is not a minor addition. Scigliano will stabilize the crease, which put the Roughnecks behind the eight-ball early last week. Harnett, one of the teams’ alternate captains, will reunite with his brother Jon in the back-end and improve the overall defensive play.
After beginning the year on the practice roster, McIntosh will slide into the line-up due to some injuries and he should bring a needed punch of physicality out of the back door.
Although it is still very early in the season, a loss to Vancouver on Saturday would be a tough pill to swallow as it would put Calgary three games behind the Stealth in the standings.
With the team beginning to round into form late in game one and the return of a few valuable members of the roster, there’s much to be excited about heading into the team’s second game.
“I think if we play for 60 – and I know it sounds like the perfect potion – but if we do I think we have a better chance of coming out on the right end. I like the way we finished,” admitted coach Curt Malawsky.
