Dec 13, 2015 | Albert Ross | 733 views
Midget LL2s Compete In Tillsonburg
The New Hamburg Huskies Midget LL2s took their
game on the road to Tillsonburg on December 11 to take part in the Max Partlo
Memorial Tournament. The puck dropped that afternoon as the Dogs faced their
hosts, the Tillsonburg Tornadoes LL1 in what would become a decisive victory
for the visitors.
Brandon Wagler notched two goals in the first frame getting help from Danny O’Connell, Matt Sommerville and Dale Jurica. Josh Potts and O’Connell tallied in the second with the helpers going to Connor Ross, Mike Thrush, Sommerville and Wagler. The finisher came in the third with Potts once again pulling the trigger on setups from Connor Ross and Thrush. It was a stunning 5 – 0 win that the team hoped to repeat when they faced the Simcoe Warriors later that afternoon. The Pack brought the same energy level as before and were holding their own against a visibly better opponent. The opener came half way through the first when blue-liner Owen Ross drilled one through the 5-hole on a screened play getting help from Connor Ross and Thrush. More chances followed as the Warriors went to the box for infractions but the Dogs couldn’t move the needle until late in the third. Potts found the net at the 2-minute mark to seal the 2 – 0 win and place the Huskies in a commanding position in their pool. To seal a trip to the semi-finals the Huskies needed to tie or win their next match on Saturday morning when they faced the Petrolia oilers. It was clear that this team was their toughest opponent yet and the game was an end-to-end action test of wills. Petrolia found the net first on a bar-down shot late in the first putting the Dogs on notice that this was going to be a fight for the A-pool. The boys rose to the challenge and answered with a goal of their own less than a minute later. Wagler was again posting the points getting help from Sommerville, proving that driving the net pays dividends. The play of the game came in the dying seconds of the frame when Colton Holba, who had been outstanding all tournament, miraculously prevented a goal with an amazing paddle save from a prone position. The action breathed new life into his team as they turned the tables on the Oilers in the second. Driving the net was again the key to success. O’Connell made the most of a bouncing puck and bagged the go-ahead goal with the assists going to Sommerville and Wagler. End-to-end action defined the remainder of the period and set the tone for the third. The Husky defense was working well, keeping Petrolia to the outside and winning the battles along the boards. Wyatt Rempel, Owen Ross, Dale Jurica and Austin Hartman were all proving their worth as blue-liners in this hard-fought contest. The Oilers mounted repeated attacks in the third but could not crack the Husky resolve. Their final gambit came when they pulled their goalie with a minute remaining but the Dogs held on to take the 2 – 1 win ensuring a trip to the semi-finals against the Lucan Irish that afternoon. Confidence was high as the Huskies faced off against their new opponent but it became clear that this was going to be the toughest battle yet. The Irish were first on the scoreboard on a defensive zone breakdown that left the Huskies on their heals. The fast, rough play saw both sides taking penalties but it was clear the opposition were controlling the play through the first half of the game. They tallied again on a power-play that the Dogs answered on their own power-play minutes later. Potts pulled the trigger getting help from Thrush and Owen Ross to close out the second frame. A contested goal in the third that the officials ruled out was the last Husky gasp. Coach O’Connell pulled Holba in the dying seconds but it was still 2 – 1 for Lucan at the buzzer. It was a solid top-4 showing for the Huskies in a field of 12 teams but the loss meant elimination from further tournament play. Lucan claimed the tournament championship later that afternoon in a showdown with New Hamburg LL3 who had won their semi-final match with Mount Brydges. Congratulations to both New Hamburg teams for their respectable performances!