Bullfrogs Find Missing Enthusiasm in Playoffs

The Bullfrogs’ locker room at the Arrowhead Pond was a cliche-riddled and confident place Thursday night, filled with speeches about stepping up, coming to play and putting it all on the line.

Well, maybe, according to Brad McCaughey, because the Bullfrog coach said he hadn’t felt that kind of electricity in the air for a long time.

After ending the regular season with seven consecutive victories in which they seemed like they were marking time, the Bullfrogs’ new-found fire propelled them to a 6-2 victory over the San Jose Rhinos in a Roller Hockey International semifinal playoff game before an announced crowd of 4,215.

Anaheim advances to Sunday’s league championship game at the Pond against the St. Louis Vipers.

It will be the fourth consecutive in-line hockey championship appearance by the Bullfrogs, who have won three titles this decade, including the 1997 RHI crown and last summer’s Major League Roller Hockey title.

“We played better man-to-man defense and didn’t give them any 50-50 chances,” team captain B.J. MacPherson said. He scored back-to-back fourth-quarter goals to give the Bullfrogs a 5-2 lead with a little over four minutes left.

“We played 46 minutes of hockey tonight, not 48,” MacPherson said. “At least it wasn’t only 24 minutes like it has been.”

The Bullfrogs never trailed, but they led only 3-2 thanks to a breakaway goal from Roman Hubalek with 2:32 left to go in the third quarter.

Then came MacPherson’s heroics. The Bullfrogs also got another fine performance from goaltender Rob Laurie, who stopped 29 shots, including one with his shoulder and another with his pad after his stick and right glove had been knocked to the ground.

McCaughey said he didn’t change much for Thursday’s game and doesn’t intend to do much for the final with St. Louis.

“I don’t spend a lot of time worrying about the other team,” he said. “I know that if my players show up and play like they are capable, I don’t have to worry.

“Tonight they showed up. There was energy in the locker room. We wrapped up the (Western Division) title several weeks ago and they’ve been playing like they have been waiting for the playoffs to get here.”

In the other semifinal:

St. Louis 11, Buffalo 7--The Vipers, who won the regular-season title in the Eastern Division, capitalized on several breakaways and scored five goals in the first 4:09 of the fourth quarter to advance to their first RHI final.

Winger Christian Skoryna scored five times. His fourth goal with 1:24 left in the third quarter drew the Vipers even, 4-4.

Forward Mike Martens had a goal and five assists. Goaltender James Jensen, who was on the Bullfrog roster last season, stopped 28 shots.