Mar 26, 2022 | Scott Price | 306 views
IceDogs Head to Harriston to Play Two
Your U13 Rep IceDogs were all tied up in their series with the Minto MadDogs...the tie in Game 1 meant this was now a 4 point series on Wednesday night, it was time for Game 2.
This IceDog team has lots of good habits--and one is, they rebound from a "bad" game...and they did.
Less than 2 minutes into Game 2, Waylon G. put a puck on net and Ethan snapped it home for a 1-0 IceDog lead. Less than a minute later, Owen M worked his magic behind the net and made it 2-0, with Ethan and Carter M. drawing assists. The IceDogs were in full control as the period came to a close.
Scoring goals is nice and all but what this team does best is check. And on this night, they were dialled in. Another great check in the neutral zone led to an IceDog chance and Ethan sniped another one for a 3-0 lead. The MadDogs are here for a reason though and they are a resilient bunch. They would score on a bit a lucky bounce (also something they do well) to make it 3-1. With the next goal being a big one, Jesse P. did what he does best--he led the charge down the ice with speed, drawing defenders to him and fed a wide open Brayden P. for a onetimer wrister and it was 4-1 IceDogs at the flood.
After a brief chat in the dressing room, the IceDogs came out firing on all cylinders. Not to be forgotten in all the goal scoring, Aidan S. was a rock solid wall making save after save as Minto kept coming. Alek F. would put a dagger in their comeback effort with snipe from the top of the circle and Aden M. would get a PP goal with time winding down for a well-deserved 6-1 win.
There wasn't much time to celebrate--on to Game 3 on Thursday...
Once again, the IceDogs came out firing again but Minto was hungry and hemmed the IceDogs in at the start. Aidan S. was equal to the task. Ethan would collect a puck from Owen M and Aden M. and get his troops on the board and it was 1-0 IceDogs at the break.
In the second, it was more IceDog dogged play and the MadDogs were on their heels for a stretch. Brayden P. would pick the pocket of a Minto defender and patiently backhanded the puck behind the Minto tendy for a 2-0 lead. But no lead was safe in this series so far and Minto would get a huge goal with time winding down to make it 2-1 at the flood. And they were coming on strong.
The IceDogs played an excellent third period, keeping the puck deep but just couldn't get that 3rd goal. And Minto was patiently waiting for their chance. They got it when a puck slipped behind the IceDog D and I lovely goal by #13 would have everything tied up with 5 minutes left to play. With Minto coming on, and several more close calls, we were off to Overtime.
Minto had all the momentum now and only 4 minutes in they would create a turnover deep in IceDog territory. Somehow (as it always does) the puck squirted loose to a MadDog and it was all over--we were heading to a deciding Game 4.