This past weekend featured a pair of home games, split down the middle with a win and a loss.
Friday night, the minor midgets hosted Kitchener for the second time this season. The Lakers came out on top in the first match up and the boys looking to repeat that result.
Kitchener was the early aggressor on this game, putting several shots toward Laker goalie, Carter Roth. Roth was solid on the early going turning away everything. When the Lakers finally managed a shot, it found the mark. Carter Schoonderwoerd put the boys up 1-0. Affiliate player Josiah Krayyenbrink received a rude welcome to the game when he was submarined by a Ranger forward and was sent flying up and over. Happily, no damage done. The Lakers were able to double the lead on a nifty spin around shot by Lakin Hendry that beat the Rangers goalie low in the corner. Assists to Coleson Fischer and Nolan Gagnier on that one. The Lakers ended the period up 2-0.
The second period was marked by a rash of penalties against the home side. The Rangers were finally able to get on the gamesheet with a quick shot from the side of the net that Roth though he had between the pads, but it snuck through for a tap in. He would have his redemption moments later when he robbed a Kitchener shooter point-blank in the slot. 2-1 Lakers after two.
Speedster Blake Wideman would nearly widen the lead in the third as he raced the Rangers defender one-on-one toward the goal, but the battle ended with both players crashing hard into the end boards. Luckily no serious injuries. Wideman would have another great chance later in the period, ringing a missile off the crossbar. Sheldon Pryce would get the Lakers third goal on the powerplay to seal the game. Two points in the bank.
Sunday's opponent was the Lambton Jr. Sting making their only visit to Stratford this regular season. The Huron-Perth boys took 2 points from the Sting in their rink back at the start of the season. A pretty quiet first period with no scoring for either team. The Lakers managed to kill off a too many men penalty.
Lambton would strike first in the second period on a rebound puck off the end boards that worked its way into the crease and eventually behind Garrett Golley, in net for the Lakers. Later in the period, a weird one for the Sting as the puck was shot toward the net and no one seemed to know where it went. It ended up behind the Laker net and bounced off a skate out to the blue paint where a Lambton player corralled and tucked it in. 2-0 Lambton after two.
At the other end of ice, the Sting goalie got on a bit of a roll. The third period featured many close chances for the boys, but all were turned aside. The Lakers even had a full 2 minute 5 on 3 and later, a 2 minute 6 on 4 with Golley on the bench. Shots off posts, defenders and a couple just rolling wide - it was one of those days where we just couldn't buy a goal. Finally in the dwindling seconds of the period, Carter Schoonderwoerd got a hold of the puck in the high slot and drilled it into the top of the net to cut the lead to 2-1, but with only 5 seconds left in the game, it only served to break the shutout. Final score - Lambton 2, Lakers 1.
Back to work this week to get ready for the second showcase weekend upcoming, this time around in Woodstock. The boys will play 3 league games - one Friday and two Saturday. Some big points out there for the taking.