WOAA Playoffs Have Begun.
After some tough contract negotiations, the staff writer is
back on duty with a well-deserved doubled salary and ready to keep everyone up
to date on the AEMHA U18 Tara Legion Ice Dogs.
Game 1 vs Blyth Brussels Crusaders....
We were on the road to open up our playoffs with the Blyth/Brussels
Crusaders, ready to make our push to the WOAA championship. The path we must take is through the
Crusaders and the Tier 3 Hanover Falcons in a round robin format with the Pool
B winner playing off against the Pool A (Shallow Lake, TCDMHA, Drayton and
Listowel C) winners for the Gold.
The game was full of action right off the hop with the home
team playing very physical and catching the Ice Dogs on their heels with some high
chance opportunities that were all thwarted by Tyson L between the pipes. The Ice Dogs would be the first to go on the
PP at the 04:27 mark that brought some confidence to the team, but it wouldn’t amount
to a goal with a few shots and good possession time. With just under a minute to go in the first
there was a charging penalty to the Crusaders that led to some spirited support
from a team mate and then some retaliation from the home team that ultimately let
to a PP and some ejections for both teams.
Jake M was able to put the Ice Dogs on the scoreboard with 00:04 left in
the first in a scramble in the crease, finding the loose puck and putting it in
the back of the net.
The 2nd period had the home team still pushing
hard and attempting to lay as many hits as possible to throw us off our game and
it put us in the box and on the PK at 10:55 but we were able to keep them at
bay until they took a penalty halfway through for some 4 on 4 action. The teams
would exchange more PP’s, but it was an even strength goal Brussels at 05:44 that
would tie the score. The ice dogs
decided to wait until late in the period at 01:13 with the Captain Mitch Hamel scoring
to put us up 2 – 1.
The 3rd period saw more physical play by both
teams and the Ice Dog faithful there to cheer them on saw the team rise to the
challenge and not to sit back and take it.
Emmett J on a determined drive refused to be held back on his way to the
net scored at 07:54 to give us a 2 goal lead.
We certainly needed that as the Crusaders got back to within one a
minute later on a seeing eye shot from the point through traffic to the top
corner of the net with the all star netminder having no chance to deny
them. With time running out the net was
empty for the home team and the ice dogs would deny any entry into the
defensive zone and kept the puck in the Crusaders end with a very late goal at
00:02 by Emmett J to seal the win.
Final score 4 – 2 Ice Dogs!
The next step to the championship will be Friday February 17th
in Chesley @ 8:30 vs the Hanover Falcons Tier 3. This will be the place to be in Chesley so
come on out and cheer on the team.