Midget LL3s Clinch A Berth In The A-pool Finals, News, Midget LL3, U18, 2016-2017 (New Hamburg Hockey Association)

This Team is part of the 2016-2017 season, which is not set as the current season.
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Mar 11, 2017 | Albert Ross | 560 views
Midget LL3s Clinch A Berth In The A-pool Finals
The New Hamburg Midget Huskies Midget LL3s took to the ice on March 7 with the knowledge that this would be a season deciding game. The Dogs needed a win in this last round-robin match to secure 2nd place and guarantee a berth in the championship finals. A tie would force a run-off game with Plattsville and a loss would be a season-ender. They knew the task would be daunting given that their fraternity opponent, the Midget LL2s, had gone all season undefeated and had a lock on the 1st place berth in the finals.

The first period was hotly contested with both sides looking for opportunities and trading penalties but things remained scoreless after one. All that changed in the second as the LL2s forced the zone. Number one forward on that team, Ben Maclaurin, tested Carter Schwartzentruber but could not crack the safe. The LL3’s turned the tables on the rebound rush and opened the scoring when Nathan Gerber drilled one in from the slot on a pass from Alex Wagler. The LL2s ran into penalty trouble as they tried to stem the LL3 offence but their opponent was unable to capitalize. When full strength returned, MacLaurin found the back of the LL3 net with seconds remaining in the frame. It was a wakeup call that the LL3s did not fail to answer in the third. The blue-sweatered LL3s came out strong and applied heavy pressure with cycling plays and hard fore-checking. The tie-breaker came when Ryan Pierson and Tyler Wagler won a battle along the boards and put the puck out to the point where Reed Cormier teed it up. His shot deflected off a defenders shoulder and beat the LL2 net-minder. LL3 pressure continued and a hard-pressed LL2 squad again found itself in penalty-trouble. The LL3s did not waste this 5-on-3 opportunity and the Gerber – Alex Wagler tag-team soon had the 3rd goal being posted for their team. Full-strength play returned with a new desperation built in for both sides. Schwartzentruber turned aside several credible attempts and forced the LL2s to make a desperate decision as the time bled away. They pulled their goalie with 1:41 remaining, putting everything on the line. The gambit worked and with 23 seconds remaining, drew within one of the LL3s. It was their last gasp and when the buzzer sounded, the LL3s claimed the 3 – 2 win and a trip to the A-pool finals … where they will again face the LL2s in a best-of-3 series. It will definitely be a series worth watching!