The Port Elgin Home Hardware/Dunlop Fuels Novice BB team couldn’t put a very hungry Goderich Sailors team away Wednesday night in Game 5 of their WOAA Quarter Final series. With a chance to win the series, the Novice team needed only a tie, but were no match for a well prepared home side in Goderich. The Sailors controlled much of the play in the opening period and staked themselves to a 3-0 lead early in the game.
Jacob Condy did his best to get the Storm on track, banging home a loose puck early in the second period. However, less than thirty seconds later, the Sailors restored their three goal lead after a turnover in front of the Storm net. Defenseman Carter O’Leary, trying to make a perfect play to winger Nic Scott, had an unfortunate bounce go straight out in front of goalie Jarrett Blue where Goderich’s Kyler Patterson was waiting and did not miss, blasting one to the back of the net.
Early in the third, Goderich struck again with Kaden Hoggarth scoring his second of the game, putting the Sailors up by four and by all accounts out of reach for the Storm. True to their form, the Storm would not make it easy for their opponents. After Blue made an unbelieveable pad save from close range, the goalie moved the puck over to Condy who found Hale Schoneck in full flight. The speedy defender went end-to-end and finished the play with a terrific glove-side deke on the Goderich goalie. Dane Heipel then found the back of the net with a howitzer of a wrist shot, pulling the visitors within two and pressing for more. However, even with the goalie being pulled with 1:13 to go, the Storm could not get it done. Goderich was able to score an empty-netter with no time left on the clock to take the 6-3 victory and force a deciding Game 6 in Southampton on Thursday night. If the home team wants to win Thursday night, then they will have to be much stronger on the puck and ready to go from the first shift on. Go Storm Go!!