Oct 27, 2011 | jzelek | 965 views
Major Atom Lakers Suffer Post-"Laker Day" Blues
After a convincing 7-2 win over the Kitchener Rangers on Laker day, the Major Atom Lakers have experienced a 3 game losing streak; losing to the Waterloo Wolves 3-2, the London Knights 5-3 and the Hamilton Reps 4-1. The Major Atoms have an upcoming busy schedule, playing 6 games over the next 10 days & hope to break out of the rut by emphasizing the positive. One of those positives was almost upsetting the #2 rank team in the province, the London Knights, with a strong 2nd half that had the Knights on their heels during that time.
On Oct. 15, 2011, Laker Day, the Lakers outplayed the Kitchener Rangers for most of the game but were only up 3-2 with 4 minutes to play. It did not help that the Lakers had hit at least 5 goal posts or cross bars up until then. Goal scorers that helped build up the 3-2 lead included Braeden Burdett (from Matthew Schwindt), Kyle Stanbury (from Maxim Mulder) and Carter McLlwain (from Sam Dupuis and Burdett). Four goals in the next 3 minutes cemented a 7-2 victory. The last 4 goals came from McLlwain (from Dupuis and Burdett), Ethan Roche (from Joshua Zelek and Reid Campbell), Dupuis (from Stanbury and Schwindt) & McLlwain (from Burdett). Hard hat player of the game was Kyle Stanbury.
The next day, on Oct. 16, 2011 in Waterloo, the Lakers were back pedalling for most of the game and were fortunate to be leading 2-1 with 8 minutes to play. The Wolves outworked and out hussled the Lakers all game, winning most of the battles and goalie Owen Hahn was one of the reasons the game remained close. The 2 goal scorers up to that point were Burdett unassisted and Stanbury (from Zach Dow and Robert McNiven). 4 penalties in the third period, some questionable, kept the play in the Lakers end with the Lakers giving up 2 late goals. The Lakers came to life in the final 2 minutes, with some fans thinking that they had tied it but a goal was not signalled and the game ended 3-2 for Waterloo. Hard hat player of the game was Maxim Mulder.
The next weekend, on Oct. 22, 2011 in London, the Lakers were well prepared to play the 2nd ranked team in the province, the London Knights. Perhaps they were a bit too tense or nervous, appearing in awe and watching the London Knights pepper goalie Bobby McLachlan with McLachlan holding the fort and the Lakers only being down 1-0 after the 1st. The Knights grabbed a 2-0 lead in the 2nd and the Lakers took a bench minor shortly later, leading one to think that the game would soon get out of hand. An excellent penalty kill by the Lakers, keeping London in their zone for most of the kill turned the momentum. Shortly after, Zelek took a pass from McNiven from the point, deked a defense and patiently waited the goalie out before burying it high and breathing life back into the Lakers. In the 3rd, the Knights jumped to a 3-1 lead, only to have McLlwain (unassisted) roof a goal over the confused London goalie. London grabbed a 4-2 lead, only to have Burdett repeat the efforts of his teammate by roofing one of his own (from Campbell) from the other side of the net. The Lakers pressed hard the last 5 minutes, giving up another goal in the process and having one of theirs called back. A good effort and something to build from. Hard hat player of the game was Tanner Reid.
The next day, Oct. 23, 2011 in Goderich, the Lakers appeared to leave their mojo back in London, as they came up flat against Hamilton. They were fortunate to be down only 2-1 entering the third but some sloppy work in their own end lead to 2 additional quick goals by Hamilton. The Lakers only goal was scored by McLlwain, tipping in a pass from Mulder who had brought it up the ice (other assist was given to Schwindt). The Lakers came to life in the last 5 minutes, creating many scoring chances but it was too little too late. Matthew Schwindt was the hard hat player of the game.
This weekend the Lakers play 2 games at home, hosting Sun County Panthers in Milverton on Saturday and the Windsor Spitfires at the Allman in Stratford on Sunday. On Tuesday, the Lakers travel to Cambridge to play the Hawks. Lets start a winning streak and erase this losing streak. Go Lakers!