The Huron Perth Laker Minor Midgets were eliminated from the playoffs on February 19th in a hard fought battle with the Sun County Panthers. For the second year in a row, the Lakers lost in game 5 against the Panthers, 2 – 1 was the final.
The teams
entered play last weekend with the series tied 1 – 1. On Friday night, the
Lakers came out of the gate on fire jumping out to a 2 – 0 lead in the first 5
minutes of the game. Quinten Haddock got the Lakers on the board when Jared Weisharfed passed to Haddock on a 2 on 1. Haddock took a wrist shot from the
high slot that deflected in off the post. Garrett James earned the second assist
on the goal. Alex Peters gave the Lakers
a 2 – 0 lead with a wrist shot from the point that caught the top corner.
Assists going to Nathan Templeman and Derek Elliott. Sun County responded when a Panther player in
the corner passed the puck to his teammate all alone in front of the net and
beat Daniel Dekoning who had no chance on the play. The Panthers tied the game in the first
period on a 2 on 1 when Dekoning got a piece of the high shot but it found its
way through to the back of the net. The period ended with the game tied 2 – 2.
Sun County took the lead in the second period when a Panther took a shot in the
high slot that deflected off a Laker stick and in the top corner. The period
ended with the Panthers up by 1 goal. The deficit grew to 2 goals with a little
over 5 minutes left in the third period just as a Laker player was leaving the
penalty box. A scramble in front of the Laker net was banged in giving the
Panthers a 4 – 2 lead. The Lakers responded a minute later when Peters took a
shot from the point. Jamesy picked up the blocked shot in the high slot, spun
around and fired a low shot that caught the corner. The Lakers pulled their
goalie with just under two minutes to play but could not score the equalizer
losing 4 – 3. The Lakers outshot the Panthers 33 – 23 in the game but found
themselves down 2 – 1 in the series.
It was a do
or die game for the Lakers at The Rotary Complex on Saturday. The Lakers again
got on the board first in this one on their first shot of the game. Weishar
picked up the puck in the high slot and rifled a slap shot that beat the
Panther goalie on the glove side. Assists on the goal going to James and
Haddock. Sun County tied the game when a Panther player took a shot from the
faceoff dot that Evan Wigmore got a piece of but the puck dribbled by him. The
Panthers took a 2 – 1 lead when they banged in a rebound midway through the
first period. Jacob Middleton tied the game with a great individual effort.
Mids blocked a clearing attempt along the boards, walked around a Panther
player and took a quick shot from a sharp angle tying the game 2 – 2 going in
to the second period. The Lakers took the lead on a 5 on 3 man advantage when
James banged home a rebound on his second attempt from the side of the net.
Assists going to Ryker Killins and Nathan Templeman on the goal. The Lakers
were up by one heading in to the third period. The Lakers got an insurance goal
on the power play when Middleton passed the puck to Adam Zehr in the slot. Zehr
took a shot that the goalie got a piece of with his glove but Drew Gross was
there to bang home the rebound. That would be all the Lakers would need in this
one. Jamesy closed the scoring in the third when he showed his speed, picking
up the puck from his own blue line and raced in on a breakaway beating the
Panther goalie with a sick move. The Lakers win the game 5 – 2. The Panthers
outshot the Lakers 32 – 25 in this one with Evan Wigmore making some huge saves
in the third period to earn the win.
It was back
to Sun County on Sunday for Game 5 of the series. It was deja vu for the Lakers
as it almost a year ago to the day that the Lakers travelled to Sun County last
year for the decisive semi final game 5. Both teams had chances in the first
period but both goalies wanted none of it as the period ended scoreless. The
Lakers opened the scoring in the second period when Nathan Templeman had the
puck all alone in front of the Panther goalie. Temps showed patience as he
sniped a wrist shot top shelf to put the Lakers up 1 – 0. Ryker Killins
assisted on the goal. The Panthers tied the game on a rebound that beat Wigmore
five hole along the ice. The second period ended 1 – 1 with the Lakers
outshooting the Panthers 22 – 17. It would all boil down to 15 minutes of hockey
to possibly decide the game and the series. The Lakers had some great scoring
chances in the first few minutes of the third. A Laker player took a shot that
had beat the Panther goalie but was cleared by a defenseman as the puck was
edging towards the goal line. The Lakers also rang a deflection off the
crossbar early in the period. The Panthers took a 2 – 1 lead mid way through
the period on a screen shot from the high slot that beat Wiggy on the glove
side. The Lakers had some chances as they pulled their goalie but could not tie
the game. Sun County won the game 2 -1 and the series 6 points to 4. A heart
break for the Lakers who gave it their all but just came up short.
Congratulations to the players and coaching staff for a strong year.
For many of
these Laker players, it will be the last time they will play together as the
boys will be heading in many different directions next season. Some possibly
back to their home centers to play, some to play midget AAA hockey and some to
play junior hockey somewhere. It’s a long journey to get to this point and we
wish the best to each Laker player and family moving forward.
The Lakers
will continue to practice over the next few weeks as there is a possibility of
an invite to the OHL Cup during March Break.