Despite a strong third period rally, the Estevan Tarpon Energy Big Dogs could not overcome the enormous hole they had dug for themselves on Sunday.
The Prairie Gold Lacrosse League junior team fell 16-11 to the Saskatoon Steelers in their home opener at Spectra Place.
Saturday's scheduled opener was postponed because the Yorkton Bulldogs did not have enough players.
Dylan Smith (five goals, three assists) and Rhett Handley (two goals, four assists) led the team offensively on Sunday.
The Big Dogs were outscored 8-4 in the first period, then allowed five more unanswered goals in the second, putting themselves in a 13-4 hole entering the third.
Big Dogs head coach Evan Handley said a particularly bad power play late in the first period may have been the difference.
"We were really close there till the last two minutes (of the period). We ended up on a 5-on-4 and they potted three goals (shorthanded). Bad defence, not being fast enough on the power play," said Handley.
"They got three breakaways and they buried the ball. Ryan Kenzie stood on his head for the better part of two periods. No fault of the goaltending at all. Again, it was our defence that let us down there."
Tanner Froese (2), Handley and Smith scored the Big Dogs' goals in the first period, while Konne Siemens (4), Stev Caswell (2), Jared Saunders and Jaydon Nystuen had the Steelers' goals.
It didn't get any better for Estevan in the middle frame.
"In the second period we didn't generate enough chances. They had two flurries of goals in the second. We can't fall behind like that, we can't let teams score goals on us back-to-back-to-back," Handley said.
The five Saskatoon goals came in a span of 5:08.
"I thought for a lot of (the period) we played extremely well. We did a lot of good things on offence and defence."
The Big Dogs did rebound in the third period, outscoring the Steelers 7-3.
"Once we started moving the ball around a little more on offence, we were able to take the play to them. We did some really good things. It was more playing better defensively and when we get the stops, we have a chance to go back up the floor and score a goal," said Handley.
The third period goals came from Smith (4), Mark Moriarty (2) and Handley. Nystuen (2) and Caswell replied for Saskatoon.
Although Handley and Smith continued their prolific scoring from last season, the coach said they were capable of more.
"They left some goals out there. Rhett hit two posts, Dylan hit, I think, three and Rhett missed the net twice where he should have had those. They are getting closer. It's almost turned around from last year, where Rhett was getting all the goals and Dylan was getting all the assists."
Handley said he feels players like Wayde Curzon, Ty Currie and Isaac Elder are capable of contributing more offensively.
"I did see improvement from the first game. It definitely wasn't a 33-7 game. We scored more goals, we won a period, and if you take away a minute and a half in the first period, it's a 5-4 game after one.
"We learned some stuff about ourselves. There were some huge hits. Physically, we did a lot better."
As for playing at Spectra Place for the first time, Handley said the venue change was important.
"I enjoyed it a lot. It was great to see the tykes out in between the periods. The floor was a little slippery. It's big, you can see in there. It's got that good feel to it. I enjoyed it and I think our kids did."
A moment of silence was held before the game for Tyson Juhlke, a former Big Dog who was killed in a motor vehicle accident in December.
The Big Dogs' next game is May 26 when they host the Regina Rifles. Game time is 4 p.m.
The Yorkton game, meanwhile, has been rescheduled for June 28.
