Mar 24, 2013 | Kory Green | 1779 views
Minor Peewee Huskies on Brink of Elimination
Rivalries usually tend to take years to develop, however the one formed between the New Hamburg Twin City Re/Max Minor Peewee Huskies and the Burlington Eagles has only taken mere months to evolve. These two teams have squared off like two boxers all year, each having won a few battles but never the war. Facing off in a best of five league championship final the war could soon be decided.
The first battle took place on enemy soil in Burlington on Tuesday March 19. Burlington was firing on all cylinders coming out very strong and if not for some heroics by Huskie goalie Sam Dramnitzke, it would have gotten ugly. The Huskies could not mount any sort of attack as time and again the dogs were forced to defend their territory from the constant Eagle flight. The Huskies defended well until the eleven minute mark of the third period as the Eagles finally broke through after an initial save by Dramnitzke was converted into the game winning goal. The Eagles would eventually score another with 5:54 left to ensure the 2-0 win.
Game two in New Hamburg a couple of nights later, was much of the same until CJ Egli took control of the game for his team mates. Trailing 1-0 after the first period, Egli on a beautiful passing play with Kyle Goodhew and Aedan Bell on the power play, converted his shot in the slot to tie the game at 13:04 of the second frame. Egli was at it again with 6:10 left in the second. This time Jacob Ertel and Brett Gruber earned the helpers giving New Hamburg a 2-1 lead. Burlington would force overtime tying the game with 4:43 left in regulation.
The Huskies would not let their hard work go to waste and would not be denied. Burlington would be called for tripping with 5:26 left in the bonus period. It then took 50 seconds for Ertel to stuff in a perfect feed from Griffin Hergott to give the Huskies a well deserved win and tie the series. Goodhew was credited with the second assist. Mavrick Habel was stellar between the pipes for the dogs.
Game three of the series back in Burlington on Sunday March 24 was one that the Huskies would rather forget. Although the Eagles handed the Huskies a 4-0 loss, New Hamburg was never out of the game and many positives came from their play. Save for a text book two on one goal that the Eagles executed, the other three goals came off of rebounds after the first save was made by the Huskie goalies.
Defenseman Bradley Vitello sent Burlington a message for game four when he simply leveled one particular Eagle player chirping the Huskie players all over the ice during the game, plus an earlier goal celebration didn’t sit very well with the Huskies either. His solid check in the left defensive zone corner late in the game left the Eagle in a humbling position on the ice. The series continued on Tuesday night March 26 in New Hamburg with the Huskies trailing 2-1 in the series.