A busy
fortnight for the Erb Transport Novice A Huskies served up a combination of
aces and double faults as the boys continue to learn how to play as a team.
Perhaps fatigued from a busy opening stretch, the boys nonetheless survived the onset of the Ancaster Avalanche 2-1 at home. After surrendering the opening goal of the game, Andrew Torchia slowed the slide and kept the sheet clean the rest of the way, allowing time for a pair of goals by Bradley Wilhelm including the game winner in the third period to sled the team to victory.
A tournament warm-up trip to Halton Hills on the second night of a back to back produced a 3-3 tie with the Thunder. Down 2-0 early, the forecast changed with some lightning strike offense in the 2nd period. First Dean Mohr got the Huskies on the board with some help from linemates Rielly Braiden and Spencer Walsh, with a goal shortly after from Rielly then tying the score and continue the lines strong play. After some hard skating by Gavin Roy produced a PP opportunity, Spencer completed a second period hat trick for his line to give the team a one goal lead. Despite strong defensive play from Owen Sweich, Daniel East, Aiden Beaver, Jaxon Hergott, and Tyler Braiden and some stellar saves from Owen Gomes, an unfortunate bounce allowed Halton Hills to tie the game and finish the scoring.
At the Halton Hills Best of the Best tournament, the boys opened with a heart stopping, drink inducing 3-2 win over the Oakville Rangers. After a first period goal from Rielly Braiden had given the Huskies the lead, 2 goals from Oakville in the second period looked like they were going to hold up. But goals from Bradley Wilhelm and Gavin Roy in the last 90 seconds of the game sent the Huskies on by the Rangers 3-2 netting a win for Andrew Torchia. Later on the same day, another great effort from all the boys and some great goaltending by Owen Gomes late in the 3rd preserved a 2-2 tie and an undefeated first day.
A tough matchup with the eventual champion Cambridge Hawks resulted in the Hawks soaring past the Huskies 6-2. The boys had the best period of their season in the opening frame and only a late breakaway goal for Cambridge separated the teams after one. Cambridge added another goal in the second period to lead 2-0 heading into the final act thanks to some more great saves by Andrew Torchia, but despite notching a couple goals late in the third, it wasn’t enough to snatch away a victory. The line of Bradley Wilhelm, Chace Hoffman, and Gavin Roy had a particularly strong game.
Tiebreakers in the 3 way tie for 2nd place in the round robin did not go the Huskies way, and so a semi-final rematch with the powerful Hawks. Again, a game that was tight early with a score of 1-0 after one period and as close as 4-2 in the third period on goals by Brody Dietrich and Bradley Wilhelm got out of hand late in a 10-2 loss as the Huskies tournament ended.
After a nice break, the boys travelled up to Fergus in the week after the Halton Hills tournament and had a bad reaction to the Centre Wellington Fusion in a 7-0 loss.
Thanks to the community and the team and parents for working hard to raise $1,388.70 in a bottle drive! The loss left the team with a .500 record in league play at 3-3-1 through the opening 7 games.
The Huskies resume their league play this week with home games against the Hespeler Shamrocks and the Milton Winterhawks and a trip to Oakville for a tournament rematch against the Rangers.