(by team reporter Albert Ross)
The EJ’s Bantam Husky AEs hosted
the Kent Cobras on January 24 for game 2 of their OMHA 6-point play-down
series. The Dogs were hoping to build on their earlier 6 – 2 win and take a
commanding 4-point lead against this opponent.
True to form, the Huskies came out hard and for much of the first frame had the Cobras bottled up in their own end. The Cobra goalie was very busy as the Dogs put pucks to the net but an interference call against the hosts put Kent in the drivers seat in the dying seconds of the period. They succeeded on the power-play to open the scoring but it would be their last as the Pack rebounded in the second.
Matt Sommerville was battling hard along the boards and fed the point where Owen Ross teed it up. The shot was high but the rebound off the boards was scooped up by Tyler Ertel and delivered to the back of the net. More chances followed but a succession of penalties forced the Pack to step up their defensive game. Carter Schwartzentruber was tested at the half but his quickness with the paddle denied the Cobras the tie breaker. That honour went to Nic Egli late in the frame when he picked up a feed into the slot and top-shelved it. Mason Wagner and Jackson Gerber picked up the helpers on the play.
Confidence was high for the Huskies as they entered the third and the Cobras were on their heels from the puck drop. Sommerville added the third marker on a 5-hole shot getting help from Tyson Wagler and Wyatt Rempel. The blizzard of pucks continued with the fourth goal coming from Gerber on a hard drive to the net. Danny Farrish and Egli collected the assists on the play. The Huskies were on fire and continued the onslaught and found the net a fifth time. Josh Potts working hard down low, fed line-mate Danny O’Connell who passed the puck back to the point. Emmett Latyn loosed the salvo past the goalies shoulder to the thrill of the Husky bench. The finisher came on a spectacular breakout play. Ross fed O’Connell who in turn found Sammy Miller racing up ice. He succeeded on the breakaway to seal the 6 – 1 win and underscore his team’s determination to take this series in 3 games. The Huskies will travel to Chatham on January 31 where they hope to realize that goal.