It’s official.
The Red Deer Rampage will face the Calgary Chill in the first round of the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse Jr. B Tier I League playoffs.
Beginning next Friday the two teams will face off in a best-of-three series for a chance to play the central division’s top team the Rockyview Silvertips.
The Rampage were eliminated by the Chill in the first round of the 2022 playoffs. This time the Rampage are hoping for revenge.
“Our game is in a good spot and we’re really looking forward to it,” head coach Troy Tisdale said.
“We’ll get rested up. We’re short numbers but we’ll go out there and give it our all.”
The Chill swept the regular season series over the Rampage 2-0. They beat Red Deer 11-9 and 11-6, both of which were in Calgary.
“We played well against them. I don’t know why we came out on the short end of it but we did. We know their game now and they know ours but we feel like we can beat them,” he added.
Tisdale explained that the Chill are a large team that is a force on the offensive end. The Chill have the two top scorers in the division with Quaid Bolger and Cameron Wallace who have 95 and 68 points.
Issac Tisdale and Ryley Dowswell lead the way for the Rampage with 59 points each.
“They’ve got some scorers on that team so we’re going to have to play very disciplined and stay out of the penalty box,” he said.
“Our defence is going to have to continue to do what they do day in and day out… A few bounces here and there I think any team can beat anybody.”
The Rampage had the ultimate test on Saturday in their final regular season home game of the season. They played the league-best Rockyview Silvertips but lost 8-6.
Down multiple goals heading into the third period, the Rampage pushed to tie it. Red Deer faced multiple three-goal deficits but refused to go down without a fight.
The Rampage have had numerous injuries this season and have had to recall players from the Tier II Red Deer Renegades to have enough numbers.
“The Silvertips are the best team in the league and their record shows it. We did show them that we’re there and that we can compete with them,” he said.
“I think it does send a little bit of a message.”
