Day 93: Friggin' Vampyres...

Will the Rovers ever find the stake necessary to kill Calgary?

Calgary, AB (CP)

Returning to Calgary after downing the Vampyres on home ice 4-2 over the weekend, the Rovers faced a rejuvenated host that clearly benefitted from spending some extra time in their coffins before the game. The 3-0 score was the same as the Vampyres last home win over the Rovers two weeks ago, but this was a different team, one that came out and took the play to Baffin, outshooting them and putting on a display of precision passing that the Rovers could not match. John Madden opened the scoring inside of two minutes by stripping Kim Johnsson of the puck on the forecheck and surprising Martin Gerber with a quick backhand deke. The Vamps maintained the one goal edge into the third where Gary Roberts added the insurance in the first minute and Marek Zidlicky iced it with a late power-play tally. Gerber stopped 30 of 33 shots, but Vesa Toskala's 30 saves gave him his fifth shutout of the season.

The loss drops the Rovers a point behind the Mounties for first place. The Rovers are back at it again on Wednesday night when they host, you guessed it, the Vampyres for their third straight meeting.