Jan 08, 2023 | Scott Price | 313 views
IceDogs Place 3rd in Winter Challenge!
The U15 Rep IceDogs were headed south to Fort Erie for the Winter Challenge...and it didn't disappoint.
Game 1 - vs Haggersville - it was the IceDogs first game in 3 weeks so to say we were rusty was a bit of a understatement. A few early gaffes had the team in the hole 2-0 mid way through before the IceDogs got going. First, Chris P. sniped a PP goal off a Riley J rebound. Then, Ethan S. scored on a semi-breakaway to get the 'Dogs even at 2's. With time winding down, the IceDogs had to kill a penalty, which they did to perfection to preserve the tie. Owen W. was also sharp in the game when the team was down 2-0 to give us a chance to tie it up.
Game 2 - vs Muskoka - this game was played on Olympic sized ice....and the IceDogs were loving it. Chris P. would snipe a beauty (top cheddar) to get the IceDogs going to open the 2nd period. Then, in the third, a lovely tip in goal on the PP (assisted by Alek F. with the hard low shot.) Ethan would use the wagon wheel drill to perfection to cap the scoring off a lovely dish by Karden C. and once he broke through the defenders, Ethan also went top chedd to make it 3-0. Owen W. preserved the shutout with some difficult saves when the game was close.
Game 3 - vs Wallaceberg - with a win and tie, the IceDogs know a win would guarantee a spot in the next round of the tournament. And things started well, with Tyler B. taking a feed from Riley J and sniping a low hard wrister through the wickets for a 1-0 lead. But things came undone with some suspect reffing and some IceDog gaffes. The fought valiantly and Simon J. would tuck home a goal from the goal mouth scramble (assisted by Ethan S.) but the IceDogs would succumb 6-2. And they thought they were going home....until:
Game 4 - vs Fort Erie - a phone call from Gramma Price gave the IceDogs life. From the friendly confines of Tara, she checked the website and the IceDogs were indeed, off to the quarter Finals with a 1-1-1 record. And they would draw the host team Fort Erie. The energy in the room was palpable and the IceDogs brought their A game. From the get-go, the forecheck, the speed, the checking was at it's best, and despite giving up a shorthanded goal for a 1-0 lead, they didn't let up. Riley J. would fend off a mouthy checker and feed Brayden P for the tap-in goal to tie things up a 1. The IceDogs would surrender another goal but Austin L. got that one back off a great dump in and pass back from Owen M_10. With time winding down in the third, the IceDogs just missed on some glorious chances but we were headed to 4 on 4 overtime. Overtime settled nothing (other than Riley J. delivering a monster check in the neutral zone! A shootout would have to settle this one and Ethan S. would snipe one as the third shooter. Owen W. shut down all the Fort Erie skaters and the IceDogs were off to the Semis with a 3-2 win!
Game 5 - vs Wallaceberg AGAIN - hockey is a great sport - you always get a chance to redeem yourself. And the IceDogs had their chance to prove last time vs Wallaceberg was a fluke. And for large stretches of the game, the IceDogs were even or better than their counterparts. But a few lucky bounces went Wallacebergs way and they capitalized (as all good teams do-and make no mistake, they are a good team). Some suspect refereeing again didn't do the IceDogs any favours and the IceDogs had to settle for a 3-1 loss.
The good outweighed the bad - lots to build on and as Wallaceberg went on to win the tournament, our only two losses were to them! So a third place finish is pretty darn good for the little team from Arran-Elderslie. We have some things to work on but we will - we will be better next time out - and if this team has proven anything, they are building resilience and learning what it takes to win.
Special shoutout to our manager Andrew S. (Happy Birthday) for organizing the tournament and Parent Rep Lindsey J for all her organizing with the hotel and extra-curricular activities. And last but not least, Nathan, the Hotel Guy, who put us up in a room to watch the World Junior Gold Medal Game and cheered us on everything we returned to the Hotel with a win under our belt....thanks Nathan!