Bees fall to Laredo

HIDALGO - Even though they entered Tuesday night’s game 12 points out of the CHL playoffs, the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees (10-28-7) still consider themselves part of the race.

If that’s true, they’re going to have to find ways to steal points from the Laredo Bucks, whom they play four more times after Tuesday. The problem is, they probably won’t get too many better chances than Tuesday night in front of 4,725 at Dodge Arena.

Bucks (31-15-3) forward Jeff Bes scored twice in the first three minutes of the second, and goalie John Ceci made 28 saves to hand the Bees a 4-2 loss. The loss keeps Rio Grande Valley 12 points out of the playoffs. Just as importantly, it means one less game for the Bees, who have only 19 games to make up a dozen points and leapfrog three teams just to make the postseason.

But what could make Tuesday’s loss sting more for the Bees was the play of the Bucks. Unlike past meetings this season, Laredo didn’t clearly outplay a team it leads in the Southeast Division by 28 points.

“We didn’t play poorly and we didn’t play bad, but we didn’t play well. We just kind of played,” Bees coach Paul Fixter said. “I think Laredo was ripe to be taken tonight. We didn’t play well enough to do anything.”

Fixter lamented that the most exciting moment for Bees fans was midway through the second when the game was delayed for about 15 minutes to repair a pane of glass. During the delay, the PA system played every song it had on file.

“I think it’s a sad statement when the most excited the fans were was when the glass was out and they were playing all the music,” Fixter said. “That’s the most excitement the fans had (Tuesday night). And that’s just not good enough.”

Uncharacteristically, the Bucks made a couple of odd mistakes. They allowed Bees forward Rob Voltera to score a shorthanded goal at 16:02 of the second, which was just the seventh against Laredo all season. They were also called for an illegal substitution at the end of the second period.

“We’re battling it right now,” Bucks coach Terry Ruskowski said. “The last three games we lost, and our confidence is down. But (Tuesday night), I think that we got away with some opportunities against us.”

Yet, against a struggling Bucks team, one that had lost three straight games, all against Austin, the Bees couldn’t pick up two crucial points.

Fixter once again questioned the urgency of his team, which fell behind just 2:52 into the game.

“Not enough for my liking. There isn’t,” Fixter said of the team's level of urgency. “Some guys there was. I’m not going to classify everyone in that. Some guys played their heart out. Other guys, I question if they have blood running through their veins.”

ICING: Bees forward Robin Big Snake was scratched with what Fixter called an upper body injury. He said he expects Big Snake to play Friday. ... Newly-acquired forward Jason Weitzel did not play Tuesday but is expected to be in the lineup Friday.

Brian Sandalow covers the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4436.