"Just how soft are these guys?"

That quote is not directed at the family of the Pillsburry Doughboy.
After a series of fouls on several Heat players sent them to the ground, the Rage coach found himself screaming at the side judge "Just how soft are these guys?" The coach said these words after Captain Daniel Galvan crashed to the ground after being clocked in the nose. Not knowing the severity or that Galvan was actually hit and would sit out the next 20 or so minutes due to a bloody nose. While soccer lends itself to the acting world when it comes to fouls and brings out the Hamlet out of some players, that was a legit reason to fall.
The momentum clearly swung as the Heat managed to control the ball and knock in the game winner while being a man down. OF NOTE: The Thunder Bay Chill, their opponent in the championship won 2-0 despite playing with two men down in the second half in their postseason opener.

OHH THE MISSED OPPORTUNITIES...The Heat straightened out the ship just in time for this playoff run, but this game had its share of what if's, that never came to be, since they won...
The first was in the 16th minute when Garcia kicked the ball past the goalie and watched it get blocked by defender Scott Rowling in the goal line, Mr. Right place right time. That label though was later claimed by the Heat's Pedro Ramos who's first goal as a Heat came at the perfect time. He was johnny on the spot, after several bounces the ball landed on his feet and he sent it on its way to the back of the net.
Garcia again almost scored the opening goal in the 30th minute in which the Rage’s Marc Benson nearly paid dearly for his mental mistake. Benson with Garcia bearing down on him decided to send the ball back to his goalie, but failed to add the necessary oomph to get it there, Garcia sped past Benson and intercepted the attempt. His shot though was slightly off target as it just missed the left side post.
From the 16th minute on the Heat took the offensive. The first 15 minutes of the game was a toe dipping water tempature taking kind've affair.

UP NEXT
The fun begins again next Saturday... In the meantime, some quick facts about the Central Conference Champs Thunder Bay Chill: They're 16-2-1 so far this season and have scored 50 goals and allowed only 18. They have posted two shutouts this postseason, and the club has been in the playoffs twice in nine years. They lost in their opener last season. On the road the team went 7-1-0. This is no doubt the Canadian team's longest road trip.
'Till next time.