On The Road.
It
was our first road trip of the season, and we were off to Listowel to play the
Cyclones C team. Although the long flight and wait times at the airport may
have made the Tara Legion U18 Rep team a little weary they came out strong with
good pressure and a balanced attack to start the game.
We wouldn’t hit the score sheet until the clock ticked off 32 seconds with a goal from Avery D to start the ball rolling. The team seems to start strong and catch their opponents still putting their helmets on after O’ Canada setting a tone of panic in their play. We would however help them get back into the game by making 3 consecutive trips to the penalty box with Kayden W, Mitch H and Max K all using their stick in a way the referees believe they shouldn’t. The home team capitalized on one of the opportunities to tie things up at the 6:09 mark and have us even at the end of the 1st period.
The 2nd period had us on the PP early and often with a 5 on 3 for over a minute as well as another 5 on 4 shortly after but the team just couldn’t capitalize and had nothing to show for their efforts. The only goal of the period was for the home team on a dump in that was played by the steady Tyson L but the puck didn’t quite make it to its intended player and the giveaway had him diving back towards the net to narrowly miss and putting us down by 1 with 2:12 to go in the 2nd.
The coaching staff gave an inspiring speech about the good, the bad and the ugly and then left the team to think quietly about it until it was time to hit the ice for the 3rd period. Maybe the talk was a little too inspiring for Levi W. as he was heading to the box 12 seconds into the period to rethink the pep talk. The next goal from Max K to tie things up was a zinger from the slot and seemed to put some doubt in the opponents. One minute later Ryan P put the Ice Dogs up 3 – 2 unassisted on the scoresheet but with some honourable mentions to Jake M who took a beating in front of the net and on the ice to make room for the play to the net. The action was end to end but the next and final goal was George P scoring with 2:19 to go to put the icing on the cake and seal the 4 – 2 comeback win for the Ice Dogs. The very end of the game saw some spirited players shoving and pushing in from of our net with even a penalty to some at the 0:00 mark but the referees put a quick end to it, and we were off to the room ready to celebrate the win.
Next game is Oct 30th at home to the South Bruce Blades in Chesley @ 7:30.