(by team reporter Albert Ross)
The EJ’s Bantam Husky AEs began
the OMHA quarter finals on home ice on February 10 where they faced off against
the Merritton Bulldogs. The Dogs were in high spirits after their sweep of the
Kent Cobras in the preliminary round and took to the ice with gusto.
The guests had their own game plan and when the Huskies took an early call for holding, they capitalized on the power play being first to notch a point. Their celebration was short-lived as the Dogs got payback when the tables were turned. With a Merritton player in the box for interference, Sammy Miller bagged the equalizer with Emmet Latyn taking the assist. It was all Husky after that.
The Dogs enacted their cycling plays to the limit and chances followed with Jackson Gerber and Jacob Ertel coming close. The home team would have to wait until the second period for the breakthrough to come. Carter Schwartzentruber was getting good mileage out of his pads and glove before the Huskies forced the offensive zone. The tie-breaker came on a nice breakout from Wyatt Rempel to Nic Egli. Egli raced up ice and threaded the needle over to Mason Wagner who one-timed it into the rigging. The frustrated Bulldogs suffered another power-play point against when they were cited for head-contact. Latyn got the puck deep to Miller who in turn fed it to Josh Potts. Potts queued up in the slot and wasted no time in taking a 2-goal lead. The Dogs were hitting the accelerator hard and a fourth Husky point resulted. Gerber, working hard down low, shoveled the puck to Egli who sniped it into the top corner in some text-book teamwork.
The visitors were clearly on their heels and the break between the second and third periods allowed them some respite. They struck back when a Husky defenseman lost an edge leaving a path to the net open. It was their last lucky break as the Dogs redoubled their efforts. The finisher came when Matt Sommerville charged the offensive zone with Tyson Wagler riding shotgun. Wagler accepted a pass and quickly fed it to Ertel who toe-dragged and hoisted it in. It was a decisive 5 – 2 victory that the Huskies hope to repeat when they travel to Merritton on February 15 for game 2 of their series.