The high scoring Blenheim Blades are leaving Essex with something to think about after being shutout 4-0 by the perennial title contender 73's.
Blades Head Coach and GM Bob McNear sees the loss as a learning opportunity for his team.
"That's the team that everybody wants to be," says McNear. "That's where we want to be. That's the sort of style we're preaching to our kids and they need to learn from that."
McNear says his team had to soak up a lot of pressure in the first period, but feels his team may be better for it in the long run.
"As the game went on I felt some of our younger guys got used to that and I saw a lot of good things out of them, so quick learning and hopefully the next time we play, we don't get into a 3-0 hole and try and dig out of it," says McNear.
The Blades were without leading scorer Zack Horvath and the team's powerplay showed it going 0 for 5.
Trevor Wheaton made 24 saves for the shutout while Phil Janikowski finished with the game winning goal and Nick Latreille added two assists for the 73's.
The Blades, with three of the league's top five scorers early in the season, had won three of five before dropping the game in Essex to the league leading 73's.
