Sarnia Ball Hockey League
May 23, 2009
by Jon Maillet

Another great night of ball hockey is in the books, a night that saw some big winners and some big losers as well as one of the most exciting games to be played in this early SBHL season.

I guess we can start on the Blue rink where the 7pm game featured the Yellow Buckets Vs the Crazy Canucks. Both teams came into this game with matching 0-1 records and came out hungry for the win. The Yellow Buckets would start the scoring almost 7 minutes in as Antony Litrenta buried one by Canucks tender Jay Passingham to give his team the 1-0 lead. The Canucks would have a great chance to tie it up as the Yellow Buckets would take a too many men call at the 11:00 mark of the first half, and moments later would turn that into a 5 on 3 powerplay for the Canucks with a high sticking the ball penalty. The Canucks however were unable to connect on the powerplay, at times almost looking shorthanded themselves. To add to the Canucks woes, with a 1:20 remaining in the half, Scott Degroot would put his club up 2-0. By the end of the half the Buckets were up 2-0 and had out shot their opponents 19-11.

The second half began with the Buckets once again heading to the box 3:19 into the half, with another high sticking call giving the Canucks their 3rd chance on the powerplay. This would turn out to be the worst powerplay effort of the game for the Canucks as Kyle Williams would hit Degroot with a stretch pass sending him in all alone on Passingham, he'd fake left and go right and put it passed a sprawling Passingham for not only his 2nd of the game, but the all elusive shorty as well. The Buckets would score another one before the Canucks could get on the board, as Bruce Jamieson scored his first of 2 to make it 4-1. Chris Keller would score late in the 2nd to get the Canucks their first of the game and season and Ryan Holmes would add a powerplay goal as well, both goals assisted by Jordan Pennesi but it would not be enough as the Canucks would be out shot 36-25, go 1/4 on the poweplay and ultimately lose 5-2 giving the Buckets their first win of the season to go 1-1, and the Canucks drop to 0-2.

Over on the Red rink it was a slaughter as Mike Huard's Team put on a clinic against the Jeff Calvanks Team. After the 1st half it looked as if Jeff Calvank and his boys were hanging in there, riding the goaltending of Teasell who turned away 15 of 16 shots. However the offense couldn't get it going, only taking 6 shots in the half to which Dave Mitchell stopped all of them. The 2nd half would not be so kind to this squad as Huard's team turned it on, as Romanik would head to the box for roughing giving Huard's team their 2nd powerplay of the night, which they capitalized on. Clayton Williams would score at the 10 minute mark of the half to put his team up 2-0 and go 1/2 on the PP. After that it was all down hill for
Jeff Calvank's Team as a few of Huard's boys would have a good night including Huard himself, leading by example, lighting the lamp once and assisting 3 others for a 4 point night. Clayton Williams scored 2 and assisted 1, while Brian Williams would have 2 assists on the night. Steve Hammel was the lone goal scorer for the Jeff Calvank's Team and despite what I would call a great performance from Teasell in net, who faced a total 36 shots on the night, Huard's Team would win it easily 7-1.

The Ale-er's faced off with the Cleveland Steamers who have, quite possibly the best line in the league, and of course I am referring to the trio of Zach MacQueen, John Faulkner and Tyler Hopkins. The Ale-er's would start the scoring, on their first shot of the game on a goal from Chad Bell, with Adam Davis getting the helper to set a league record for the fastest goal to start a game, just 54 seconds in to take an early 1-0 lead. However, Zach MacQueen, from John Faulkner and Tyler Hopkins would tie it up 8:20 into the 1st half, only to do it again about 8 min later as MacQueen would score his second of the game from the same two guys. After the 1st, the Steamers would lead 2-1 and go 0/2 on the PP and lead the shots 10-7.

In the 2nd half the Steamers defense was incredible, only allowing the Ale-er's to take 3 shots in the half, all of which Dark had no problem with. In the end the Steamers would add 2 more goals as Mike Bush would get one 9:30 into the second, and the line of MacQueen, Faulkner and Hopkins would score again, this time Faulkner getting the goal giving that line 3pts each on the night. In the end the game was dominated by the Steamers, as they would out shoot the Ale-er's 23-10 and win 4-1. Once again this Steamers D helps their goalie rest easy in the net.

And the last game of the night, which also was hands down the best game of the night, was a battle to see who would remain undefeated. Team Canada and Feed Us Fajitas both coming off wins in their last game, came out hard looking for the win. Team Canada would score first on a goal from Andrew Veale just 3:00 into the game, the assists going to Jarod Coleman and Jeff Brooks. The Fajitas would answer back though, tying the game just 4 and a half minutes later As Fajitas captain, Wes Derochers' shot would beat Greg Vandenheuvel. After 1 the score was tied 1-1 with the Fajitas leading in shots 6-4.

The 2nd half would be just as exciting as Ryan Maclean would bury a blast from the point while on the powerplay to give his team a 2-1 lead just 2:50 into the half. However Team Canada would give the Fajitas a chance as they would get into a bit of penalty trouble, giving the Fajitas a couple of chances to which they would capitalize on one as Vince Zerko would tie the game at 2 on the powerplay, Macllaren would pick up his 2nd assist of the game on that goal. After that both goalies shut the door and when the 2nd half came to an end, the score remained tied at 2, with Team Canada leading in shots 13-12. Team Canada would be 1/2 on the powerplay, while the Fajitas were 1/3. For the first time in SBHL history a game would need overtime to find a winner, as both teams would look down their bench for an OT hero, only one team would get one. That team was Team Canada, that hero was Jaime Fraser, on Team Canada's 3rd shot of the OT period, with just 1:02 remaining in overtime giving his team the 3-2 victory, and captain Aaron Levy's 2nd assist on the night as Team Canada moves to 2-0 on the season, dropping the Fajitas to 1-0-1.
 

 



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