The outcome of game two and the winner of the first round provincial ‘A’ playoff series between the Davidson Cyclones and the Kindersley Red Lions may not have been decided on a penalty shot save, but it sure helped.

“That save on the penalty shot was huge because we went in there short guys and got that 5-1 lead and they came back,” said Cyclones coach Jason Shaw. “If they would have scored there it would have been 5-5 and they had the momentum. That was a huge turning point.”

Taking a one-game lead in the best-of-three opening round series into Kindersley after a close 6-5 win in game one on home ice Feb. 7, Davidson could still only be considered the underdog. The Cyclones (13-8-1 during the regular season) were facing a strong Red Lions team (18-2) on the road with only 13 skaters compared to a full lineup of Kindersley players determined to exact some revenge, but that didn’t stop Davidson from pulling out a 9-5 win.

“We knew it was going to be tough and didn’t really know what to expect,” said Cyclones forward Chad Manz. “We beat them in pre-season, but I think their team was quite a bit different then and going into provincials you never know because they could pick up guys. Every round is going to be tough. Provincials bring a different game. Everyone seems to get up a little better.”

Shaw said one of the players who raised his compete level in that second game against the Red Lions was defenceman Zach Sim. He said Sim broke a bone in his foot blocking a Kindersley shot in the first game, but that still couldn’t keep him off the ice for the second.

“He played really well,” said Shaw, noting Sim picked up a goal and three assists in the game. “But everybody that we took got lots of ice time and played well. Kyle Boris got a hat trick. Carter Smith played well. It was a real team effort there.”

Manz said the great play from Sim and their goaltender Mark Zoerb had a big part in the win, but so also did special teams play. He said the team was able to pick up two power play goals and a shorty in the opening frame leading them to the quick 5-1 lead.

To read more please see the Feb. 17 print edition of The Davidson Leader.