Entering into the fourth year of AAA play for the 1997 age group, the Huron-Perth Lakers have never won a game against the Eglin Middlesex Chiefs (one of the top AAA teams in Ontario). They have always had good close games, but the Chiefs always found a way to win.
After being defeated 4–3 by the Waterloo Wolves in the Lakers' home opener on Saturday in St. Marys, the HPL Major Pee Wee team’s coaching staff made some small adjustments to the breakout for the game plan against the Chiefs trying to make the game easier for the players to play and be able to move quicker. From the opening face-off the Lakers definitely looked better than the day before, skating faster, quicker shots and reading plays better, but the Chiefs caught the first break of the game when there was a bad bounce in the neutral zone which ended up giving the Chiefs a 3 on 0 breakaway. While Lakers goalie
Owen Chapman made a great attempt to come out and clear the loose puck, it didn’t work and the Chiefs were up 1–0. The Lakers didn’t give up and came back with the next three goals.
Josh Higgins scored the first Lakers goal high on the glove side assisted by
Carson Brookshaw. The second Lakers goal came on the power play when
Mykal Hodges kept the puck in at the blue line allowing Carson Brookshaw to put the puck on net with
Cullen Mercer putting in the rebound along the ice to the stick side. Before the 1st period ended
Blake Nichol scored with assists going to
Ted Nichol and
Brady Lauze.
As the 2nd period started the Chiefs came out flying and scored the next two goals tying the game at 3–3 before Josh Higgins was able to score his second goal of the game with assists going to Ted Nichol and
Haydn Favacho putting the Lakers up 4–3 at the end of the 2nd period.
Going into the 3rd period the Chiefs made a goalie change, but that didn’t stop the offensive attack by the Lakers as
Evan Chaffe made a shot block at the Lakers blue line allowing
Nathan Smith to pick up the loose puck, go end to end and beat the Chiefs goalie clean through the five hole. Two minutes later, Cullen Mercer kept the puck in at the Chiefs blue line and had a good low hard shot on the Chiefs net which the goalie saved but could get the rebound. This allowed Ted Nichol to get a shot on net and finally Evan Chaffe put in the second rebound, which ended up being the game winning goal. The Chiefs didn’t quit as they came back with two mid-period goals, but that would be all the Lakers would allow as Owen Chapman made some great saves to bring home the 6–5 win.
Saturday’s home opener is St. Marys for the Lakers didn’t turnout the way the team would have hoped. The game started with the Lakers having problems in their own end, but they were still able to score first as Cullen Mercer scored unassisted at the 13:08 mark. This being the first shot the Lakers had on the Waterloo goalie.
Waterloo scored two early goals in the 2nd period before Haydn Favacho scored from Ted Nichol and Carson Brookshaw tying the score at 2–2.
Kenny Huether was then given a questionable checking from behind penalty which would leave the Lakers short one forward for that game and the following game against Elgin-Middlesex. Waterloo was able to re-gain the lead in the finally seconds of the 2nd period.
The Lakers didn’t give up as
Eric MacPhee had a good hard low shot from the blue line off the face-off and Cullen Mercer grabbed the rebound and put it in the net for his second of the game. The Lakers were unable to hold off the Waterloo attack and gave up a goal with five minutes remaining in the game. The Lakers were not able to get a whistle in the last two minutes of the game to get a time out and plan an attack for the remainder of the game.
Next up for the HPL Major Pee Wees are Windsor and Chatham-Kent, both away. “GO LAKERS GO”