January 19 - Minor MD Peewee

 

Back and forth, good end-to-end action in the first period, Allman Arena, in the heart of Stratford’s theatre district, and boyhood home of Canada’s World Junior Champion coach Craig Hartsburg, the setting as the Sarnia Sting Minor Peewee M.D. hockey club battled the hometown Warriors.  Clang, the shot off the post and danced in the crease as Roan Mackay sat down to hide the puck. The referee in the corner pointed to the back of the net.  One up, advantage Warriors, but not for long.

Eric Cunningham, Tyler Groulx, and Curtis Lindsay answered on the very next shift with solid offensive zone pressure that culminated in a goal mouth scramble and goal to tie the score at ones.

Cunningham, a dash to the outside, had the Stratford defenceman beat and he was forced to trip up the speedy centre. Steven King to box for two or less.
 

Hard work on the power play saw Mitch Hodgins and Marcus Dusseault work the corner to perfection and feed the pass back to the point. Wrist shot from Christian Kerrigan was tipped in front by James Pavey, a good play but a better save by Chris Pletsch in the Warrior’s wicket.

Short hand effort Dan Deighton dumped into the Sting zone. Puck caught in the feet of Calvin Hughson, as Deighton picked it out and fired a quick shot, snagged by the glove and held for the draw by Mackay.

The second period started as “Captain MacEachern” won the draw and carried the play into the Stratford zone.
 

Puck held in at the right point by Kerrigan fired to the goal mouth, tipped by Nicholas VanBilsen and saved by the pad of Pletsch. Rebound right back to VanBilsen but no shot. A beautiful pass across to a wide-open Leeam Ridley resulted in the second Sting goal.

Cunningham stick handled through the centre ice area and again drew a tripping penalty. Stratford’s Ryan Ridley, #4, could not contain the slick centre man within the context of the rulebook, and off to the sin bin for the big defenceman.

Kerrigan with the point shot tipped over the bar this time off the Lindsay lumber for close call on the power play.
 

VanBilsen streaked down the left wing and stuck out the right leg out to protect the puck, just like Mark Messier did so many times, as he drove hard to the net to create his own excellent scoring chance.

Ryan Ridley forwarded the pass to Mitchell Harrett, that threat broke up at the centre dot by Hughson as he stepped up to intercept the pass and drive it right back into the Stratford zone.

Mackay with the paddle down in the passing lane, a great play to block the pass across as Mark Schmidt attempted to connect with Curtis Hessey on a two on none break but came away empty handed.
 

Pavey with a wrap-around try early in the third period, stopped by Pletsch but the rebound was swiped out of the blue paint and into the back of the cage by Hodgins to put the Sting in command, 3-1.

Hard forecheck on the half wall by Ridley to free the puck for MacEachern. The feed to the slot for a VanBilsen one timer. Great save with the glove hand and a whistle….roughing the call against Ridley.

The “Harris Hip” in action during the penalty kill as Joe Gioia tried to squeeze by Konnor along the boards. Puck picked up a carried on by Deighton with a low hard shot from a difficult angle that forced the leg down pad save by MacKay. Roan held his skate hard on the post as the scramble ensued, try as the may they could not move the MacKay goal pad out of the way as the whistle sounded to end the play.
 

Puck stopped in the feet of Lindsay near centre, kicked ahead to his stick and caught Stratford going the wrong way, setting up a two on none. Cunningham on the right side, hard to the net, Lindsay elected to shoot. Stopped on the crest of the shirt and held for the stop in play by Pletsch.

Midway through the third MacEachern on a coast to coast cruise curled in the slot a left a drop pass for VanBilsen. “Bang”, the sound of the puck banking off the end boards as the wrist shot just missed the far post. Close call as Gioia flipped the puck over the cross bar and out of play, from the scrum in front with the goalie down peering through the shin pads, searching for the biscuit.

Pavey finished the scoring with another wrap around attempt that appeared to bank in off the goaltender’s paraphernalia to put the final score at 4-1.

“The defence played well, we only had four of them so they were coming off early. Let me correct that…there is no such thing as coming off too early, they were making smart plays and getting bench when the puck was not in our zone. They made very smart decision, all four of them”, offered coach Hodgins following the match.

He continued, “Roan played well with his goal stick tonight. He directed four or five dump-ins properly into the corner. I can’t remember being nervous about him handling the puck, good job Roan. We will call it call it a four to one shut out.” “It wasn’t in, it wasn’t in, wasn’t even close” Roan offered.

Goalies….they are all the same.