Bullfrogs Hold Off DareDevils

Just two games into the season, the Bullfrogs haven’t found the passion for the game they displayed a year ago when they reached the Pacific Division finals.

When that feeling will develop is hard to say.

The Bullfrogs had a six-goal lead early in the second quarter before hanging on to beat the Denver DareDevils, 7-6, in Roller Hockey International action in front of 8,568 at the Pond.

It took a stick save from rookie backup goaltender Eric Raymond off a shot from Hardy Sauter at the buzzer to preserve the victory. Raymond was impressive at times, making 27 saves. Denver (0-2) outshot the Bullfrogs, 39-27.

The Bullfrogs had a lackluster second half in the season opener last week, a 5-4 loss to San Diego. In that one, Anaheim (1-1) went the final 33 minutes without a goal. Against Denver, a goal by team captain Victor Gervais off a pass from Todd Wetzel was all the Bullfrogs could muster in the final 33 minutes.

“We got greedy,” Coach Grant Sonier said. “We let them back into the game because everyone wanted to score. We had our third guy jump into the play because everyone wanted to score.”

The result was tentative play to close out the game. In the final two minutes, the Bullfrog defense eliminated all scoring chances for the DareDevils, who pulled their goalie.

“Our first quarter has been our best so far, no doubt, but then we look like we are out of shape,” said Gervais.

Anaheim got goals from Gervais, B.J. MacPherson, newcomer Glenn Stewart and veterans Darren Perkins and Rick Judson to take a 5-0 lead in the first quarter. It was the first goal of the year for Stewart, who came to Bullfrogs from Orlando just before the start of the season in the deal for defenseman Daniel Shank.

Perkins made it 6-0 2:30 into the second quarter.

But Denver woke up and went after Raymond. Raymond, backup to Rob Laurie, was sensational in the first quarter, when he stopped 11 shots, and in the fourth, when he stopped six.

Gino Santerre got the DareDevils on the scoreboard shortly after Perkins’ second goal, and in the next 1 1/2 minutes the DareDevils would get goals from Antonio Ricci and Stephane Roy.

Denver cut the Bullfrog lead to a goal in the third quarter with goals from Darryl Olsen and Kevin St. Jacques.

Denver goalkeeper Hugo Hamelin, one of the league’s best last year at Phoenix, settled down after the first half and played well, stopping 20 shots.