Jan 18, 2020 | Scott Price | 344 views
IceDogs Kickoff OMHA Playoffs With a Win!
The Atom Rep IceDogs are coming off a successful regular season BUT what they were really looking forward to was the playoffs. Standing in their way was the Central Perth Predators, the team that knocked them out of the OMHA's last season.
The IceDogs and Predators played a fairly tame first period, with both teams feeling each other out and trying to gauge the other team. A few dandy saves by the Predator tendy kept this game 0-0 at the end of one period of play.
Coach P pleaded with his club to find their speed game and play a self-less brand of hockey and it worked. Ethan drove the net with his wingman, Owen M, heading to the net. The lone Predator D-man chose to cover Owen and Ethan ripped it home to get the 'Dogs on the board. Some more close calls almost broke the game wide open but the Predators struck, with a rebound goal to knot things up at 1. Things would stay that way until the end of the 2nd but you could definitely feel that the IceDogs were ready to break loose.
And they did. A beautiful backhand top shelf job by Ethan got the IceDogs the lead (assisted by rookie call-up Owen W.) and Ethan struck again when a cross ice pass richocheted off a Predator d-man and into the net (maybe the only break the IceDogs got all game!) A couple of injured IceDogs caused some line-up juggling and Owen M made the best of it. Brayden P. would race in and check a Predator off the puck--Owen M. gobbled up the loose puck and went top shelf (where his Mom keeps the peanut butter) and the IceDogs were off to the races. A goal of the year candidate followed that up when Ethan fed a wide open Carter G. for a one-time clapper (I think it went through the goalie) to put the cherry on top of this one and the IceDogs raced home to Arran-Elderslie township with their first playoff win in the bank.
Game #2 of the 4 point series is tomorrow in Paisley @ 3:45--if anyone is looking to cheer and watch some fast skating, hard-checking, heads-up hockey, Paisley will be the place to be!