The Minor Midgets travelled to Essex on the weekend to open their semi final series against the Sun County Panthers. If the first two games were any indication, the series is sure to be an exciting battle between two teams that finished the regular season tied with 40 points.
Game 1 – The Lakers were on the road for the first two games of the series. The Panthers opened the series scoring with a goal in the first period just as a Laker penalty ended. A give and go to a Panther player alone in front of the net beat
Daniel Dekoning under his arm on the blocker side. The period ended with Sun County in front 1 – 0. The Panthers went up 2 – 0 in the second with a one on one rush and a quick shot that found the net. The Lakers got on the board on a power play when
Ethan Adair fed a pass to
Jacob Middleton at the point. Mids made a nice pass to
Garrett James who was alone in the high slot. Jamesy spun around a fired a wrist shot that beat the screened goalie. The period ended 2 -1 Panthers. The Lakers tied the game early in the third period when
Adam Zehr took a harmless looking shot from the corner that deflected in off the goalies pad. Assists going to
Taylor Moir and Middleton. The Lakers took their first lead of the game on some good forechecking resulting in defenseman
Alex Peters walking out of the corner and scoring on a hard shot along the ice beating the Panther goalie between the legs. The goal was unassisted. Sun County responded when the Lakers were unable to clear their zone. A pass from behind the net was deflected up and over Dekonings shoulder. The game ended in a 3 – 3 tie and overtime would have to decide this one. With the Lakers going in to OT on the power play, it did not take long for them to capitalize.
Ryker Killins fed Moir a pass on a rush just over the blueline leading to a 2 on 1. Moir made a beauty pass to
Nathan Templeman leaving him with half the net to shot at. Temps made no mistake blasting a one timer end over end to score the winner. A great start to the 6 point series as the Lakers took the first game 4 - 3. Shots on goal favoured the Lakers 27 – 23.
Game 2 – After spending a night at the Stonecroft in Windsor, the Lakers returned to Essex for game 2. The Lakers opened the game getting in to some penalty trouble giving Sun County a power play for pretty well the first half of the period. Laker goalie
Evan Wigmore kept the Panthers off the board with a number of greats saves. The Lakers penalty killing has been solid throughout the playoffs and was certainly working on this day.
Drew Gross opened the scoring on a 3 on 2 rush. Zehr made a pass to Moir who carried the puck over the blue line and fed a pass to Gross in the center of the ice. Grossy snapped a quick wrist shot to the top corner giving the Lakers a 1 – 0 lead after the first period. The Panthers got on the board in the second period on the power play. A floater from the point found the top corner of the net passed a screened Wigmore. The period ended in a 1 – 1 tie. Sun County took a 2 – 1 lead in the third period on scramble in front of the Laker net. The Lakers responded one minute later when Adair intercepted a pass at center ice. He rocketed down the ice using his long reach to maintain control of the puck and sniped a hard wrist shot from the high slot that beat the Panther goalie. The Lakers were pushing at the end of the game but could not get the go ahead goal. For the second game in a row, the game would be heading to overtime. It did not take long for the Panthers to even the series as they scored 14 seconds in to the extra frame. A shoot in and some good forechecking resulted in a Sun County player walking out from behind the net and scoring the game winner. The final score 3 – 2 Sun County with the Lakers out shooting the Panthers 33 – 28.
Though game 2 was a tough loss, a split to open the series gives the Lakers home ice advantage with the next two games being played in Stratford beginning Friday February 17th at 8:00 pm at the Rotary Complex. Game 4 of the series goes at 1:30 pm on Saturday February 18th also at the Rotary Complex.
Good luck Lakers.