Oct 27, 2010 | csmalley | 1021 views
Major Midgets On Road Trip
Last weekend, the Huron-Perth Major Midget Lakers travelled to Kanata, just outside our nation’s capital to participate in the 6th Annual Ottawa Senators Midget AAA Showcase Tournament. The team arrived Thursday afternoon and checked in at the Holiday Inn in Kanata. After supper it was a short bus ride to Scotiabank Place to watch the NHL Ottawa Senators take on the Carolina Hurricanes.
Titans Tough
Friday’s first game of the tourney might’ve gone the Lakers way if things had unfolded differently in the early stages of the game. A H-P shot that hit the outside of the post might’ve gone in. A nasty blindside bodycheck in the neutral zone might’ve been called giving H-P an early powerplay advantage. Instead the Titans got off to the good start and built a 3-0 lead before the end of the first period. A single goal in the second and a goal in the third gave the Titans an insurmountable lead. All that was left was for the Lakers to spoil a shutout bid. Tyler Kettler took care of that, battling out from the corner with a series of nifty moves before sending the puck across the line. Final score 5 – 1.
Player of the Game… #14 – Thad Lucas
Hurricanes a Breeze
After losing the first game of the tournament, arguably to a lesser opponent, the Lakers were desperate for a “W”. Playing on the big ice surface at ScotiaBank Place - home of the NHL’s Senators - wouldn’t hurt their chances. Shane O’Brien (Brent Kipfer, David Sproat) got the team going with a hard accurate shot. Ryan Watson (Darren Kerr, Jerry Ennett) made it 2-0 by deflecting Kerr’s hard shot and banging in his own rebound. Before the end of the first period, d.man Jesse DeGroote had a big shift. After battling deep in Halton’s right corner, #3 won the puck and headed behind the net. Looking for a man to pass to, DeGroote carried the puck out to the left point and dropped it off for Scott Coghlin. Retaking his position on the right side, DeGroote took a return pass from Coghlin and sent a soft pass netward. Brent Kipfer was positioned midway and blasted a one-timer… 3-0.
On a penalty kill, Tyler Kettler fooled his opponents by cruising near their blueline. An alert pass sent him on a partial breakaway but he was foiled. Halton finally got on the scoreboard with a powerplay goal… 3-1. A powerplay goal by Kettler restored the three goal lead. Tenacious forechecking paid off for #7 when he stripped the puck from a Halton defender. Cruising in from the left side he didn’t have much to shoot at, just enough – upstairs, stickside, shortside. Protecting the 4-1 lead, Jerry Ennett was ragging the puck on a penalty kill. Ennett’s Savardian (Denis) stickhandling frustrated one Hurricane player who slashed Ennett to negate his team’s powerplay.
In the third period, Scott Coghlin followed the play and was rewarded with a Shane O’Brien rebound to make it 5-1. In a 4 on 4 situation, Ryan Watson controlled the puck until he was in position for a shot on goal. Kettler was waiting for the rebound to make 6-1. Late in the period, Nick Boyer got the 7-1 goal – unassisted!
This victory over Halton was an easy one but it served a purpose, restoring the team’s confidence in their ability to put the puck in the net. Ten different players got on the scoresheet.
Player of the Game… #8 – Ryan Watson
Capital-ize on Ottawa
With a 1-1 record, the team couldn’t afford another loss. They stormed onto the ice at 9:45 Saturday morning and proceeded to play their strongest period of the season. An early powerplay failed. A second powerplay was nullified after 45 seconds by a Lakers penalty. With 42 seconds left in the period, Luke Salter stole the puck at the Ottawa blueline, dashed in but was denied after two tries.
Chad Smalley’s team was on fire early in the second, aided by the tireless checking of Jaden Goetz and Brandon Priestap. The Lakers faithful sensed a goal coming but also worried about the possibility of Ottawa turning the tide with a lucky one. David Sproat missed a deke from close in. A Lakers shooter was robbed when the goalie was down and out but somehow got his paddle in front of the puck to deflect it up and over the net. Ryan Watson stickhandled out from the right corner, through traffic, finally crossing the crease and looking at half an open net – only to have the puck skip as he unleashed his wristshot. Eli Adair looked like he might open the scoring when he broke in on net while killing a penalty – denied.
Fast forward, 1:39 into the third period, Nick Boyer controlling the puck, moving out from the side boards across the hashmarks. Boyer's lateral movement got the Ottawa goalie off balance just enough for Boyer to blast a wristshot by him…..1-0. Eighty seconds later, Shane O’Brien slid a perfect pass to Brent Kipfer for the 2-0 blast. Scott Coghlin earned his second point of the outing, contributing an assist on each of the two H-P goals. On a four minute Lakers powerplay, goalie JP Trudell made his biggest save of the game after a Laker miscue gave an Ottawa skater a great chance from close in. Final score… 2-0
Lakers Player of the Game… #1 - J.P. Trudell
Draw with Clarington
The team had to get a win or at least a tie in this game against Clarington AAA to have any hope of advancing. A spirited first shift by Garrett King, Nick Boyer, and Colt Pickett set the pace followed by an equally energetic shift by Ryan Watson, Jerry Ennett and Tyler Kettler. On a Lakers powerplay Watson, Ennett, and Darren Kerr moved the puck around well and finally capitalized on a goalmouth scramble. On a later powerplay Colt Pickett had two good chances in front but couldn’t find the back of the net.
Early in the second period, Clarington tied it at one apiece with a shorthanded goal. Clarington took a 2-1 lead five minutes later. Deep in Clarington’s end Nick Boyer refused to give the puck up, controlling while Ryan Watson moved into position at the top of the crease for the 2-2 redirect.
In the third period, Boyer showed some defensive prowess and paid a price blocking a hard shot with his ankle. Six minutes in, on the powerplay, Shane O’Brien scored what should have been the winner with help from Scott Coghlin. Unfortunately, Clarington got a powerplay of their own and tied it up with 1:05 left on the clock. Final score… 3-3.
Player of the Game… #20 –Shane O’Brien
Waxed by Markham
The tie against Clarington allowed the team to advance but it meant playing the powerful Markham Waxers at 8:15 pm Saturday night. The first period was scoreless with both teams having several powerplay opportunities. Shane O’Brien’s penalty killing efforts were especially noticeable.
The second period was very well played. Markham had no penalties while the Lakers took two minors – the first resulting in a 1-0 Markham powerplay goal. An even strength goal for the Waxers left H-P in a 2-0 hole to begin the third.
This period was chippy with both teams being assessed seven penalties. Lakers had a 5 on 3 advantage at one point but were unable to capitalize. Markham scored a second powerplay goal. Final score 3-0. Markham would go on to win the tournament!
Player of the Game…#1-J.P. Trudell
Paul Sproat writes:
SHOWCASE SPLIT !!!
The Huron-Perth Lakers Major Midgets began their season in Kitchener on September 24th, playing four league games over three days as part of the Alliance Showcase.
Cambridge Hawks
On Friday night the puck dropped at 630 vs the Cambridge Hawks. In the first period Jeff McCardle’s alert pass found Nick Boyer half a rink away. Boyer relayed the puck to Tyler Kettler who rushed in to bury a hard wristshot… 1 – 0.
Midway into the second period, Cambridge evened the score at one goal apiece. Brent Kipfer showed some speed by charging in and splitting the defense for a good scoring opportunity. Jerry Ennett came up with the defensive play of the period on a penalty kill. Tenacious forechecking created a scoring opportunity for the speedy winger, but he was hooked to the ice by a flatfooted defender negating the Hawks’ powerplay in the process. Lakers skaters were a little sloppy at the beginning of the second period but goaler J.P. Trudell stood his ground. Ryan Watson scored a beauty second goal by bodying his man off the puck, roaring in and surprising the goalie with a backhand deke and chipshot from close in. It was an impressive outing for the newly formed team, but despite three periods of hard work, the Hawks prevailed in the end by a score of 3-2.
Hamilton Reps
The players - and some of the parents - were in bed early Friday night to rest up for a 9:00am start on Saturday. Thirteen minutes in, Eli Adair fired a hard pointshot through traffic where Garrett King was parked looking for a rebound. King found the puck and tried to bury it. Jerry Ennett took a turn and it was 1–0. With three-and-change left in the period, Jesse DeGroote kept the puck in along the boards. Moving to a position to the side of the net, DeGroote snapped a pass to Jaden Goetz whose shot rebounded to Luke Salter… 2–0 Lakers.
The second period was scoreless even though H-P penalty killers had two breakaways while killing two penalties. Shortly after returning to even strength, Eli Adair rang one off the post.
Midway through the third the Lakers increased the pressure but several good scoring chances went unrewarded. With 3:15 left to play, Darren Kerr’s accurate pass up the middle sent Jerry Ennett streaking down the left side for a short-side shot that ruffled the sheets in the top bunk… 3–0. Keeper Drew Reinhardt played solid goal all morning but he should’ve played a bit faster. Fighting for the team’s first shutout, all hopes were dashed with :08 on the clock. Final score… 3–1 Lakers.
Chatham-Kent Cyclones
Saturday’s second game began at 4:30 in the afternoon. At 12:10 of the first, Nick Boyer sent a pass across the blueline to Shane O’Brien. #20 made no mistake, opening the scoring with a shot from the slot.
Midway through the second Lakers came up short on two breakaways. Moments later, with a 5 on 4 advantage it was #4 to #5, Scott Coghlin’s rebound to David Sproat who fired one low to the shortside. Less than a minute later, Coghlin, McCardle, and Boyer were playing tic-tac-toe with Boyer finally sending one across the line.
In the third period, only penalty data was recorded on the gamesheet. Final score… 3–0 Lakers.
London Jr Knights
Although Sunday’s game vs the Knights resulted in a loss, it was a great effort and a good indicator of how strong a team the Lakers have. In the first period London took advantage of a failed clearing pass to go ahead 1-0.
During a four minute advantage in the penalty-filled second period, Ryan Watson, Jerry Ennett, and Tyler Kettler held a clinic in the Knights' end and did everything but score. Laker penalty killers also contributed to a scoreless period when H-P was down a man.
The third period featured more Laker offense but also two significant defensive plays. Tyler McArdle executed, with impunity, a textbood diving pokecheck on a Knight who was streaking in on net. Jesse DeGroote took a hard slapper off the foot and then managed to smother the puck in front of the goal. Late in the third period, the Lakers powerplay was robbed of a final 7 second opportunity to tie the game because of a questionable call by an official. With a Laker d-man charging to touch the puck, a London icing was waved off although the puck had clearly crossed the end line. 1–0 London.