(by team reporter Albert Ross)
The EJ’s Bantam Husky AEs have been on a winning
streak and were keen to continue the momentum at home when they hosted the
Guelph Gryphons on December 6. The Dogs came out flying against their opponents
and tallied with less than a minute of play elapsed. Wyatt Rempel got the puck
to Daniel O’Connell who fed Jackson Gerber driving for the net. A shot and
a funny bounce off his helmet was enough to open the scoring in favour of
the hosts.
The Huskies continued the pressure through the entire frame, cycling the puck down low and getting chances but failed to up the ante. The Gryphons goalie bought his team time and they came out with purpose in the second. Both teams took penalties in the heated action but the Huskies came out the worse for wear. Guelph poured the coal to it and peppered Carter Schwartentruber with six solid scoring chances. He proved to be a wall in net and took the wind out of the Gryphons sails, allowing the Dogs to regroup in the third.
The cycling plays and shots were finally getting to the Guelph goalie with the insurance marker coming at the halfway point of the period. Danny Farrish won a face-off draw in the offensive zone and snapped the puck at the net, hitting pay dirt in the process. The Huskies never looked back after that. The cycling plays were the keys to success in the next two Huskies goals. Jacob Ertel, working hard in the offensive zone, passed the puck to Josh Potts who then passed it to the point where Owen Ross was teeing up. His shot was screened and puffed out the rigging to establish a three-goal lead. Play had hardly resumed when Tyson Wagler added his own point getting help from Ertel and Potts. The Gryphons were out matched and did not recover. It was a sweet 4 – 0 shutout win that bodes well for the Huskies as they prepare for the Regional Silver Stick Tournament in Georgina on December 12-14.