The Huron Perth Lakers AAA Major Peewees traveled to Brantford on February 11th to take on the 99’ers in the second game of their six point play down series. After winning the first game the Lakers were looking to tip the series advantage completely towards them with a mid-week road victory.
The game started out evenly for the first five minutes. With three minutes to play in the first, Brantford scored on a deflection to take a 1-0 lead. Seconds later,
Alex Peters moved the puck to
Derek Elliott who chipped the puck off the wall to
Nathan Templeman. He took the puck the distance; stick handling by the defenders and sliding the puck into the net for the tying goal. With one minute to play in the period,
Gregory Swan passed the puck back to
Garrett James who fired a good low shot on net.
Andrew Bogdon pounced on the rebound and shot the puck into the net making the score 2-1.
Early in the second period the 99’ers capitalized on a break and tied the score at two. At the nine minute mark, the 99’ers scored again on a deflected shot to take a 3-2 lead. A few moments later, goalie
Eric Ryan made a point blank save that kept the Lakers in this game. On the next shift
Swan,
McKenzie Carter and
Bogdon cycled the puck effectively, finally getting the puck to
James who rifled a perfect shot past the goalie making the score 3-3. One minute later,
Templeman and
Fraiser Lewis were forcing the play down low.
Elliott picked up the loose puck at the side of the net and directed a shot towards the net which fooled the goalie to put the Lakers ahead 4-3. On the next shift,
Taylor Moir and
Bayley Boyes led the forecheck deep in the 99’ers zone. They moved the puck to
Keigan Goetz who one timed a great shot into the net giving the Lakers a two goal lead at 5-3.
Ryan was called upon to make a fine pad save late in the period on a 2 on 1.
The third period started with Brantford carrying the play early. Four minutes into the period, the 99’ers closed the gap to one making the score 5-4.
Ryan had to be alert as the 99’ers continued to press the play and he made several super saves. With two minutes remaining the 99’ers pulled their goalie. The Lakers had the puck in the offensive zone but could not find the empty net. With 10 seconds remaining, an icing call forced the face off deep in the Lakers' zone. Brantford won the face off and shot the puck at the net.
Ryan stood tall and blocked a couple of close shots finally covering the puck as the buzzer sounded with the Lakers ahead 5-4. The defensive unit of
Carter Stewart,
Peters,
Roland McKeown,
James and
Ryan Stulp-Jacobson challenged the 99’ers all game who tried to force the play more often in this game than the first game.
The win gives the Lakers a 4-0 lead in this six point series. Next game is on February 14th at 12 noon in Stratford at the Rotary complex as the Lakers try to sweep the series.