The IceCaps settled for yet another series split over the weekend, with a 2-1 loss to the Springfield Thunderbirds Saturday night at Mile One Centre.
That game came on the heels of an IceCaps’ 6-5 overtime decision Friday night and a modest two-game win streak.
Overall, in the eight straight games played at home since Nov. 25, the IceCaps are 4-4.
St. John’s hits the road this week for the start of a lengthy 10-game swing that’s interrupted by an eight-day Christmas break.
The IceCaps play in Binghamton, Utica and Rochester, N.Y., Wednesday, Friday and Saturday this week before breaking for the holidays. They resume play on Boxing Day in Toronto.
Since the start of November, the 13-12-1 IceCaps have won three straight games, lost three straight, won another three in a row, dropped three of four, and then went 3-3 in their last six.
“It’s a good question. I wish I had an answer,” sighed coach Sylvain Lefebvre when asked why his club hasn’t put together a consistent winning streak this season.
“I know the guys worked hard, for the most part, on this homestand. Sometimes it’s a matter of bounces. We didn’t give them many big, quality chances (Saturday) night, but we just couldn’t shoot it past (Reto) Berra.”
Only Jacob de la Rose could solve Berra, the Thunderbirds’ netminder and former Calgary Flames starter who stopped 30 shots.
De la Rose’s goal was his first of the season, snapping a 21-game goalless drought.
Lefebvre, of course, won’t bring it up, but it hasn’t been easy for the St. John’s coach who has seen six different players recalled to Montreal at various points this season.
That number doesn’t include Daniel Carr, who started the season in Montreal, was reassigned to the IceCaps, appeared in three American Hockey League games and was recalled to Montreal, where he remains. And it also doesn’t include Zach Redmond, who was sent to the IceCaps on a two-game conditioning stint a couple of weeks ago.
The latest to be recalled to the parent club are Mark Barberio and Michael McCarron, who were served notice of their promotions after Friday’s win.
For Barberio, who was the best player on the ice Friday with three assists and a plus-three rating, the recall came just a couple of days after he and Charles Hudon were sent down, with Sven Andrighetto going the other way.
“The good thing about that is it gives opportunities to other guys, and other guys have to step up,” Lefebvre said. “You can’t do anything about that. You can’t plan injuries up top, and here we have to deal with the situation. But it gives players a good opportunity to show what they can do.
“(Ryan) Johnston and (Joel) Hanley were pretty good (Saturday), and (Julien) Brouillette was good, too. Even a kid like (Tom) Parisi, I thought he played a strong game.”
One player who definitely answered the call was de la Rose. He was undoubtedly the IceCaps’ best forward Saturday night, skating between Max Friberg and Stefan Matteau.
The 21-year-old played on the left wing Friday night.
The big Swede played 33 games in Montreal as a 20-year-old two years ago, and another 22 last winter when the Canadiens were ravaged by injury.
But the longer he went without a goal this season, the more it seemed he was slipping farther and farther away from Montreal.
Granted, de la Rose is a sound defensive player, but one has to put the puck in the net once in a while.
“We knew it was just a matter of time,” Lefebvre continued. “To his credit, he stayed with it and didn’t get frustrated. Even tonight, he had a really good scoring chance and he breaks his stick. Some guys on the bench were saying, ‘He must be going crazy.’ But he stuck with it.
“For de la Rose to play one game on the wing and one game at centre, he did a pretty good job. He won a lot of faceoffs.”
Charlie Lindgren suffered his seventh loss — and third straight — Saturday night, but the rookie goalie couldn’t be blamed for either of Chase Balisy’s two goals (Balisy played for the IceCaps in 2014-15, after four years at Werstern Michigan University).
And his outing was certainly better than his previous two, when he allowed a total of 12 goals.
