Mar 10, 2020 | Kevin Waddell | 478 views
Nervous Players in a Pivotal Game
As the playoffs have wore on, the AEMHA PeeWee #1 squad found themselves very much in the hunt for the top of the round robin playoffs. Tonight they faced off against their counterparts in the PeeWee #2 squad. The efforts of their brothers and sisters have played spoiler in helping our group move up in the rankings.
For this our players were nervous and wondering if they would play spoiler for their fellow Icedogs.
As the game began, our lads played on their heals, perhaps the nerves were getting to them. Win and we are tied with Huron-Bruce, lose and our playoff chances would be pretty much over.
It was apparent from the get go that if they wanted it, they were going to have to earn it.
The majority of the 1st period was back and forth, with both squads each having their own opportunities.
It wasn't until late in the first when a speedy Kaden C dangled and danced into their zone and rifled home a high wrister to open the scoring. Less than a minute later, Daemyn E kept the puck in, center blue line and rifled a shot in on net where Sean W picked up the juicy rebound and buried it for our second of the game.
Going into the second we were sitting on the dreaded two goal lead.
The lads were playing with apprehension and were fumbling the puck on simple heads up plays. Julie's squad didn't let up in the second and Owen W did everything he could to keep the PeeWee#2 squad off the score sheet.
Both teams stayed on their benches during the flood to avoid the sweltering heat of the Paisley dressing rooms.
Still sitting on the two goal lead, the players were still not firing on all cylinders. The message was to play our game and overcome the dreaded two goal lead..... but in the right way.
Well, the other squad had other plans. Just only 1 minute into the 3rd, with our defence playing deep on their heals, they finally managed to beat our tender, closing the gap to one.
4 minutes later they would strike again, knotting things up 2.
An immediate time out was called by coach Kevin after the game was tied. With our playoff hopes in the balance, we needed a minute to regain our composure and remember what got us here, Team work, and working hard.
This woke up the wary PeeWee#1 squad and they began to click as a unit again. With Sean W injured by a nasty fall, Nick P stepped up onto the forward line. With only 3:14 left to play, Austin L worked low on forcheck and fed it out to Nick P who beat Nathan A to go ahead by one. Exactly one minute later, with our group pressing hard on the forcheck, Ryan S sent in a long shot from the blue line that bounced out to an awaiting Kaden C who made no mistake and put us up by two.
The clock ran down and our lads celebrated the win, knowing their playoff chances were alive for another game.
Hats off to the PeeWee LL#2 squad on a great season and for making our team earn it, plus a huge thank you to their squad for playing spoiler against OS and Huron Bruce in our division. Things are still tight on the points but with a win against Owen Sound on Sunday we should be sitting on the top. Lets hope the hockey bounces go our way!
We face Owen Sound on Sunday on the big ice at the Bayshore. Check out the Rogers TV Owen Sound website as the game will be televised! Saturday will be a fun day at the QuickFeet Training Center and hopefully we can shake off some pregame jitters.