Nov 03, 2019 | Scott Price | 237 views
IceDogs Earn a Tie vs Warriors
The Atom Rep IceDogs had earned a hard-fought, hard-working win on Friday night and were looking to keep the momentum when the West-Grey Warriors paid a visit to Paisley on Sunday afternoon.
The IceDogs hard learned from their previous meeting that this Warrior team was aggressive (bordering on dirty) and would do anything to get the IceDogs off their game. It was going to take patience and control to get a win on this day.
The first period was a fairly even affair, with the Warriors getting on the board midway through the frame, after the IceDogs had a flurry of chances at the other end. Ethan S. would get that one back with an end-to-end rush and we are knotted at ones after one.
The Warriors would jump on another loose puck (a bit of a theme on the day) and go up 2-1 but Jesse P. would break loose after some hard work on the boards by Hudson J and Brayden P. Jesse would go 5-hole on the breakaway and get his team some jump. Despite the tilt in the ice toward the Warrior end, the 2nd period would be squared away at 2's at the buzzer.
Coach Price pleaded with his team to get their legs moving and get to those loose pucks first. It seemed to work as Karden C. would collect a puck in the neutral zone and a la Paul Coffey, glide into the slot for a beauty to get his team the lead. Ethan S. would get another with some hard work behind the net (and in front by Owen M) and the IceDogs had a 2 goal lead with time winding down. But the Warriors didn't quit and some tough bounces ended up in the IceDog net in the final minutes and the game would end in a 4-4 draw.
Some tough lessons were learned on the day--we can't score if we don't do the work, we aren't a solo effort team, and as we play teams a 2nd time around, we have to find another gear. If I know these IceDogs, they will learn those lessons well, and be a better team as we head into the Georgian Shores Fall Classic Tournament.