Weekend wrap: Rovers Tie Twice

Two weekend road games against the top two teams in the Champs conference provided an opportunity to see if the Rovers had truly turned the corner from their early-season slump. The results: inconclusive. A 5-5 tie in Waterloo against the Roadkill followed up with a 2-2 draw in Kitchener didn't answer a whole lot of questions, but at the same time didn't spawn a new host of them either.

In Waterloo, Keith Tkachuk fired four goals, but that wasn't enough to get his team a victory. Five different players tallied, including a pair from the top line, as the Rovers knotted the game mid-way through the third on a Murray shorthander and skated away with a single point. The Rovers outshot the Roadkill, were great in the faceoff circle, and were strong in the corners, but couldn't stop Tkachuk. Marty Gerber allowed 5 goals on 28 shots, while David Aebischer stood strong against 45 shots, 19 of which came in the third period and OT.

Against Kitchener, the Rovers were fortunate to escape with the draw. Outshot 33-26, the Mounties were strong in all aspects of the game. The top line continued to emerge from their slump, with Demitra, Frolov, and Murray assisting on goals from Pronger and Nathan Horton. Pronger's goal late in the third looked like it might stand up, only to see Chris Drury equalize seventy-four seconds later with just over a minute remaining.

Overall the team has to be pleased with both ties. The Roadkill and the Mounties are atop the standings because they are both quality clubs, and taking a point from each in their own building is an accomplishment. With their unbeaten streak extended to eight games, the Rovers now return home to host the Mounties, followed by a road game against the Vampyres and a home game with the 500s. This stretch against the traditional RHL powerhouses will be a strong test for a team still tinkering to find the right balance.