On
Saturday Jan. 28
Sarnia Sting
Minor Midget M.D.
hockey club
journeyed to
Woodstock to
battle the Navy
Vets.
Marcus Dusseault
skated wide of
the defence,
using the wide
ice surface, to
open a lane for
the pass back to
Christian
Kerrigan at the
point. The blast
low and on
target forced a
save and a
scramble in
front to start
the contest.
Mario Hudson
dished out a
solid body check
at the blueline,
shoulder square
in the chest of
Brady Wells
separating him
from the puck.
Austin Walker
followed the
play and drove a
slapper, stopped
by the trapper
of Jason
McArthur wearing
the #38 jersey
for the Sting.
The puck bobbled
loose but
McArthur was in
good position in
the butterfly
for the chance
that never came
thanks to the
back check
effort of
Stephen Blysniuk.
Kolton Knott
stood up Alex
Tait at the blue
line and cleared
the puck out of
the zone
efficiently to
Hudson. A shot
on goal, bit of
a stumble from
the Woodstock
keeper of the
cord cottage,
Micheal Fawcett;
the puck wobbled
along the line
but did not
cross.
Eric Cunningham
picked up the
puck just inside
the Sting blue
line and the
cross ice pass
hit Tristan
Buntrock in
stride and sent
into the
Woodstock zone.
A side-step one
on one move
would have sent
him in alone,
but it failed to
fool the
defender.
A good hard low
shot off the
stick of Declan
Mayo forced a
right pad save
from Fawcett to
bring the first
period to a
close.
Walker delivered
a solid jolt on
Konnor Harris at
the top of the
circle inside
the Sting
defensive zone.
Harris got up
and skated the
length of the
ice, intercepted
a Woodstock
clearing attempt
and fired a shot
on goal.
The Navy Vets
cross centre ice
on a two on one
break; the pass
across tipped
away by the
stick of Mitch
Hodgins.
Owen Payne with
a slapper wide
of the mark,
banked off the
end boards out
the other side
of the net for
Joey Austin with
a scoring chance
denied by
Fawcett and held
for the whistle.
Knott fired a
slapper from the
point; taken
high on the
goalkeeper’s
chest protector
and the puck
dropped to the
side of the goal
but covered to
stop the play.
Mayo, a slick
pass over to
Buntrock, and
the shot
deflected way
high and over
the end glass.
Harris dug the
puck out of the
corner fed to
Dusseault who
faked a shot and
dumped it back
to the point for
Hodgins. Quick
release, through
traffic; a good
try and good
vision on the
play by Marcus.
His vision
proved even
better the next
play as a high
wrist shot
cleared the
shoulder of
Fawcett and
tickled twine to
open the scoring
at the 9:15 of
the second
period.
Austin off to
the sin bin for
a head check
violation;
Sarnia P.K. unit
was aided by a
hard
ring-a-round the
wall by Dan
Vallee. The puck
was picked up by
Payne and
chipped ahead to
Hudson for a
short handed
opportunity that
clanked the iron
behind the Vets
keeper!
The Vets’ Damian
Clark was
penalized, a two
minute minor for
roughing in
front of the
net, to set the
stage for 4 on 4
play.
Mayo got off a
shot on goal,
deflected high
in the air and
bounced over the
swipe of
Austin’s stick
as he headed
hard to the net
fresh out of the
penalty box.
On the short
power play,
Dusseault won
the draw to the
point for Dylan
Wardell to tee
up for a drive,
blocked with the
carom to Vallee.
Fed across for
another Wardell
slap shot, a
scramble in
front ensued
with Harris
gathering the
biscuit with a
wrap around the
back of the net
opportunity.
Colton Healy was
credited with
the second goal
of the
scrimmage; at
5:26 of the
second period,
could have been
kicked in, could
have been goalie
interference but
the goal was
allowed to
stand; 2-0
Sarnia.
The Sarnia
penalty killers
got a work out
as Harris was
dismissed for
two minutes
followed by
Vallee two for
holding and
shortly after
Vallee for four
with a head
check violation.
Woodstock took
advantage:
Walker with a
strike and a
glove save
response from
McArthur.
Cunningham had a
pass attempt up
the middle
intercepted by
John Morgan and
he head manned
the biscuit to
Mitchell
Tranicek for a
goal scoring
chance which was
turned aside by
McArthur to keep
the goose egg on
the scoreboard.
The Woodstock
power play
continued with a
shot from Derek
Runnalls taken
off the helmet
by McArthur to
close out the
second period.
Third period
action started
with Kerrigan
clearing from
Sarnia blue line
the length of
the ice.
Woodstock
responded by
taking an icing
whistle on the
power play!
Walker fired a
puck into
McArthur’s Sting
logo; cleared
away by Blysniuk
with Buntrock
giving chase. A
good move to
beat the defence
in the Vets zone
by Tristan ;
Sarnia was able
to pressure
Woodstock while
shorthanded.
Austin got off a
good hard shot
and pounced on
his own rebound
and scored to up
the tally to
three nil.
Just over three
minutes into the
third,
Cunningham was
off for
interference;
Dusseault took
charge driving
through the slot
with a foot drag
kick pass up to
his stick and a
challenging low
shot on goal.
Knott took a
shot following a
offensive face
off win, big
save Fawcett.
Healy up the
middle, the rush
turned into a
two on one with
Cunningham out
of the box to
join the play;
scramble puck
loose and blown
dead on the
whistle.
No quit in the
Navy vets squad
as #12 Walker
snuck passed the
dee and gathered
in the pass for
a break away
try. McArthur
thwarted the
play; the best
chance from
Woodstock and
biggest save of
the game for the
Sarnia goalie.
The final
minutes were
highlighted by a
Mayo puck that
tinged off the
crossbar in the
key of C and a
shifty spin-o-ramma
move from
Blysniuk at the
blue line to
leave Brady
Wells with
nothing but air
to check.
Followed by a
tic- tac- toe
passing play
that covered 180
feet; Knott to
Dusseault to
Harris for a try
in the crease.
In the final
play of the game
witnessed Walker
with a deke near
the front of the
net that was
broken up nicely
by Wardell to
prevent the shot
attempt and
allow the Sting
to skate off
with a 3-0 win.