Tough Match in Final Regular Season Game + Results of Playoff Game 1.
Riverside Lanes LL#2 finishes the regular season
and starts the first round of playoffs on a positive note.
Final Regular Season Record –
Who cares! It was an awesome season!!
Details of final regular season game and opening playoff game enclosed...
Regular season ends with a victory as the boys rally in the 3rd period vs. LL #4.
1st period – Both teams came out flying from the initial faceoff. The puck whipped back and forth from end to end as neither team could gain the advantage. Huge battles on the boards, blocked shots and the goalies standing on their heads, was the entertainment for the entire first period. It wasn’t until Brendan finally broke out of our end and fired a wrister at the opposing goalie who made a great kick save but couldn’t control the rebound. Sammy came burning up the ice and was in perfect position when the puck came out and he buried it for the only goal of the period. 1-0 after 1.
The second period solved almost nothing. Our boys played most of the period in the offensive zone and when the puck came out, our defense stepped up to defuse any offensive threat. Stu, Sasha, Bryson, Cameron and Cohen were outstanding on the blue line. With only a minute left in the second period LL #4’s offensive effort paid off as they were able notch the equalizer to end the period. 1-1 after 2.
The 3rd period started with a sense of urgency as the boys simply tore up the ice and broke the game wide open with a barrage of offensive attacks and goals. 1 minute into the period, Brendan pounded in his first goal. 1 minute later Owen snapped a shot and Matt buried the rebound. Only 30 seconds after that, Brendan took a beauty feed in the slot from Riley G, and slammed home his second. Just 2 minutes later Cohen went end to end, deked out both defensemen and the goalie for yet another score. Both Riley and Jayden were outstanding between the pipes as they fended off multiple breakaways and offensive rushes throughout the game. Brendan finished off the period with an end to end breakaway to claim his last hat-trick of the regular season.
Final Score 6 – 2.
Playoff Game 1 vs LL #1
1st Period – Still hot from the previous week all systems were firing early. Riley Cook-Reiner was sharp as a tack has he stood on his head early in the period and deflected a flurry of shots. Brendan started the scoring as he intercepted an errant pass and drilled his shot top shelf. 2.5 minutes later Brendan scooped up a loose puck in front of the opposing goalie and had to use quick hands to deke out the net-minder for his second of the period. Owen got into the action as he picked up a pass from Max behind the goal and hammered the puck in on a beauty wrap around as the period came to a close. 3-0 after 1.
2nd Period – Sammy opened the period with a spark as he jumped out on a clear breakaway almost immediately after the draw. He ripped the shot low glove side but the goalie kicked out the pad for the big save. Riley G hustled to follow the play and found the rebound on his stick and fired it home into the empty side of the net. The boys seemed to be pinned in our own end for most of the second period until Stu picked up a pass from Cameron in our end and went screaming through the defense and buried the biscuit for the second goal of the period. A highlight save with 1 second left showed Jayden completely spread out and snatching the puck out of the air with a glove save to be shown on the “TSN Highlight Of The Morning”. 5-0 after 2.
3rd period – Our defensive squad completely took over. Cohen started everything off as he picked up a pass from Riley G and deked out 2 defenders and buried a nice back hand shot. Stu was everywhere! Multiple breakaways, back checking and endless effort, Stu had to be hauled down by the defense as they couldn’t stop him. Stu was rewarded with the first ever novice local league penalty shot (ok, maybe not the first ever). The whistle blew and Stu went screaming toward the goalie, made a couple of nice moves but the net-minder was just able to get a toe on the puck to stymie the story book ending (great effort though). As our defense stepped up, our forwards did an incredible job by covering up. Cohen closed out the game with another beauty unassisted goal with only a minute left.
Final Score 7-1
Playoff Record 1-0