Mar 14, 2015 | Patrick Watson | 712 views
North Middlesex Tourney, Game 2
The Novice Red machine was up against a tough opponent from Elma Logan in our 2nd game this morning at 8:30am. These guys are a big team with some good skaters and shooters...Elma Logan is farm country so their kids are probably used to early mornings and hard work. Are we ready!!!............
We came out flying in the first period determined to get the jump on them and the game was end to end. Ben made some great saves and we pressed hard. Finally after almost 7 minutes of play, Cole Abbey scored the first goal assisted by Colton Wilson with 3:08 left on the clock in the first. The goal gave us a lift and about a minute later Quin found some room and went the distance scoring our 2nd of the game. Period 1 ended 2-0 for the Red Machine.
Our opponent came out flying in the 2nd period determined to get back in the game. We were really being out played in our own zone. Ben was on his game and stood tall in our net making lots of great stops. They kept pressing and we were back on our heals a bit when they scored their first goal after a bullet of a wrist shot managed to get by Ben's glove at the 5:00 mark of the 2nd period. They had the momentum and things weren't going too well for us. We seemed a little flat and they were beating us up in our end. With 48 seconds left in the 2nd period the Elma Logan squad tied the game after a scramble in front of our net.
It all comes down to the final period.....we have a choice to make. We pick up the intensity and play harder or go home with a loss. The 3rd period was going to decide this contest one way or the other. Time to get down to business. About 2 and a half minutes into the 3rd Cole Abbey rushed the puck to the net and got the shot but the rebound came straight out. Our AP player Mason Lange was following Cole Abbey in and did what he needed to do when he picked off Cole's rebound and blasted it home putting us up by 1 with 7:38 left on the clock. As you might expect in a tough battle, the teams were playing hard and a couple body checks were being thrown. The refs called one on the opponent but let a few others go. Elma Logan was not about to roll over and pressed hard to score and tie the game at 3 each with 5:24 left on the clock. We didn't want a 2nd tie in this tournament so we needed to go for it and give it everything we have. With 4:01 to play Cole Abbey made an incredible effort and scored our 4th goal to put us up by one. Elma Logan came back flying and we were doing everything we could to stop them. With 3:05 left on the clock Mason Lange took a questionable tripping penalty and you could read the other coaches mind..... "it's time to load it up and get back in it". We responded and went with Quin and Gavin on D with Maddy Graham and Cole Abby up front to fight the power play and kill the penalty. Quin got tripped and went down hard into the boards but no call. Gavin took a hard body check that rattled him pretty good with no penalty called. Our players all did a great job and we managed to keep the opponent off the scoreboard and bring home the 4-3 victory.
Congratulations to the player of the game and our Heart & Hustle Award winner Mason Lange, our tyke AP player! Great job Mason, you deserve it after a great performance today. Keep up the great work!
We play again later today but the time is not known until the other Novice games are played. Once the teams are ranked we will be told when and who we play...stay posted. We will email the team and add the game to the calendar as soon as we know. Rest up and get ready for game 3 :-)
Coach Pat