Feb 12, 2015 | maiken | 782 views
A Hard Night To Get Traction All Around
IceDogs and the Golden Hawks met for their second game in the 0MHA and just getting to the game was a challenge. And that was not all that was a challenge. Hawks tripled our penalty minutes and doubled our goals. Dogs better get their growl on! 3 to 6.
This game I think is the latest game we have ever played. However, everyone was in good spirits and high energy pre-game. And that continued onto the ice. The Dogs were looking good in the first period. First rush down the ice was all Dog. Spencer went right to work, digging out the puck. Brett was his usual fast moving self. Will beautifully shut down a solid Hawk attack by playing tight to his man. Tyson, who was looking far healthier this game, was put right to work and had no problem in shutting down the Golden Hawk offense. Clayton make a great rush from our net to theirs with a nice backhand, but still no point. At 6:20, Corson powered the puck into the Flesherton end and Mitch made it 1 to 0. The Hawks picked up their first penalty, after steamrollering Brett but the Dogs couldn't increase the score. But the Hawks did, at 4:44. Dogs tried to get another one, but the Hawks were all over the ice. Their power players, 5 and 12, were on their game. One took a bit of liking to our Mitch though as demonstrated by his repeatedly hugging Mitch around the helmet with his arms and stick. However, it may just be a regional custom, since the refs didn't see anything out of the ordinary about it. In fact, a few seconds later, our defenseman, Dan, was given a chance to rest for doing his defensive job. Regardless, the period ended with a 1-1 tie a powerplay to the Hawks going into the second.
The Golden Hawks took full advantage of the extra skater and pulled ahead. 1-2. Returning to even numbers,the Dogs tried to get the puck moving with some individual breakouts. Chase, Mitch, Braydon, Will, Brett, and Clayton all took chances. Dan got his run started but there was a lack of concentration on that blueline by wingers that shut that down too early. IceDogs kept crashing over the line, to get through all the Hawk sticks that were inconveniently in the way. Brad was hauled down on his run and the Dogs finally got another powerplay opportunity. Then, against all odds, another Hawk pulled a penalty and the Dogs had a two skater advantage! Dogs needed a goal! At 8:38, from the back of the net, from Brad to Chase, who flipped the puck to Mitch out front and bang! Tied again. That still gave the Dogs a man advantage for a minute, but there would be no more goals for us this period. There would be two quick ones for the other guys. It was now 2 to 4. The period would end on cancelling penalties for a Hawk and Braydon, that had the fans scratching their heads while he was shaking a Hawk's head.
The third period started alright. Corson tied up a Hawk like a rodeo roper. Tyson was making great saves and keeping the Dogs in the game. Conor was skating hard and getting his stick in the way of Hawk passes. But the Dogs were feeling a bit slushy and it was work to get the puck out of our end. Hawks were getting a bit more "aggressively huggy" and Braydon and Brad both got a little bit of a bell ringing from their attentions. Finally, at 6:48, Chase got the puck to Corson, who got it to Brett who got it past that goalie to bring the Dogs to 3 to 4! Striking distance! Or so we thought....because the Dogs totally lost traction for only a couple of minutes and the Hawks scored a quick two more. 3 to 6. With about three minutes on the clock, Coach pulled the goalie and threw another skater on the ice. But the Dogs, despite an heroic final attempt, could not increase the final past three.
Next game, IceDogs will have their growl going and will be ready to skate, no matter what, and to keep going, backwards and forwards, until that final buzzer! Cause this team is the IceDogs and they know how to work as a team! Go Dogs!