Feb 22, 2013 | maiken | 995 views
So Close. So Close, And Yet....
The Saugeen Shores came to Tara and the IceDogs were ready to give them a run for their money. The board was blank until the 3rd and both teams were giving it their all. But a last second (4.5, actually) goal by the Storm left us with a heartbreak. Final 2 to 1.
This game for us started with full pressure from the Storm, but our defense lines and our goalie stood strong. The Saugeen team was looking to make some waves and we briefly let them get under our skins and pulled a penalty at 4:34 for Jason (#88). Saugeen hates to miss any opportunities that a powerplay gives, but the IceDogs kept digging until the penalty was over. We picked up our only other penalty in this period, for (#16) Austin, but killed it off nicely too. The Doggies really wanted to get the first goal of the game and were demonstrating some great skills, but as the buzzer ended the first, the score was still goose egg to goose egg.
The next period could be described as a bit wild and definitely choppy. Hockey sticks and bodies were flying all over the place! Our goalie kept us playing with a great smother at 7:31. Chayse tried out his slapshot(s) from the point, but no success. Jason tried his slapshot out and only ended up injuring a Storm defenseman who got in the way. (THAT will be quite a bruise.) Danny and Brad kept feeding the puck forward. Lawson and Austin kept the puck away from the other team's sticks. Spencer took the sticks right out of their hands. But still, the period ended with a score of nada.
Tyson was kept on his toes in the final period. The Storm finally got a penalty and we tried to exploit the advantage. But no such luck. In fact, the other team got their first goal and they were shorthanded! We were now down by one. Dogs were working hard now. They were some great moves. Mitchell and Jadyn almost got us one at 7:07 and at 7:02, working together. Will brought down a Storm player. Braydon worked the boards tightly. Corson schooled their forwards in corner work. Brad took a run. Clayton kept them checked. Tyson kept making the big saves. But still no rewards for us! Coach Steve called a time-out with 31.6 seconds left. We were down by one. Our goalie was pulled and Dogs were going out full force. Giving it all, at 25.6, Jason gets it past their goalie to tie the score. However, there was a heartbreak on the way....with 4.6 seconds left, with our players totally off balance defensively, the Saugeen Storm snuck it by Ty. So very close! Final score. One for us. Two for them.