Saugeen Storm Atom LL#1, Alan’s Fireside Grill, travelled to
Chesley to take on Ice Dogs for their first game back from the Christmas
Break. The team was excited to get going
and the fans came ready to cheer on their favourite players in what turned out
to be an exciting game with some phenomenal goaltending at both ends of the
rink.
The puck drops to start the game and with a Storm faceoff win back to the D-man the puck is moved into the Ice Dogs zone with lots of pressure down low in the zone. This pressure allowed the Storm lots of chances on net but the Ice Dogs goalie was making some great saves. Back in our end Big Save Benny was sharp when he had to be as they didn’t get many chances in the first from the great work on the Storm Defensemen, Talan, Andrew, Josh, Zac, and Wes, holding the line well and stripping the puck off the Ice Dogs when they did managed to get a rush up ice. With this great work by both teams the score remained tied at nil at the end of the first despite the many chances that where created by Charlie, Riley and Jack with some real nifty passing plays.
The second started just like the first with the storm getting the puck deep in the Ice Dogs zone and battling hard to keep it there. Lots of great passes out front for chances and some good teamwork all around. The Storm battled hard moving the puck out of their end really well and getting shots away on the Ice Dogs net but nothing would get by. Big Save Benny continued his excellence in the second period making some great stops with the rest of the team collapsing in and moving the rebounds out of in front of him so the Ice Dogs did not get a second chance. With all this great work the Ice Dogs opened the scoring with just over two minutes left in the period and it ended with the ice dogs up by one.
Going into the third the Storm players knew they had a chance with Big Save Benny making great saves for his team and with their chances on the Ice Dogs net they knew the game would start to go their way. With that just less than two minutes into the third period Andy and Ian battling along the boards to keep the puck in managed to move it to the wide open Jake who made a real sweet move and lifted the puck over the goaltender and into the mesh to make it a tie game, Jake with the tying goal and Andy and Ian with the assist. It wasn’t too long after that Charlie received a pass from Hunter and put it on net hard, with the Ice Dogs goalie unable to handle it Wes was right there to scoop up the rebound and push it across the goal line to put the Storm up 2-1. Wes with the game leading goal and Charlie and Hunter with the assists from some great puck movement. The game would end with the Storm earning their first win of the New Year and their first against the Ice Dogs in a goaltenders battle. Big Save Benny Played the best game he has all year with some real nice saves but the rest of the team helped out by clearing the rebounds from in front of him. Some honorable mentions to Andrew for his aggressive puck play, Josh with some great defensive plays as well as some good tries up ice with the puck, Ian who is always aggressive and was a magician on the blueline holding the zone for the team.
This was the best game the team has played all year long and the team learned that hard work pays off big time as they beat a very good Ice Dogs team. Andy was awarded the Digger Award for his great skating, passing and battling in all three zones on the ice. Congrats Andy and great game!!
Next game-Friday Jan 23rd vs Bruce Peninsula#1, 7:30pm in Wiarton