The Martin's Home Hardware Bantam B Storm kept their OMHA playoff hopes alive
at the Plex on Friday night (Jan 20) with a thrilling OT victory in a must-win
game over the Listowel Cyclones.
After falling behind 2-0 over the first two periods, it was gut-check time as the Storm went to the dressing room for the second intermission. Some soul searching and a few motivational words from the coaching staff were all that was needed for the Storm to come out with renewed passion in the third period.
The two teams traded chances in the third, but it was Storm defenceman Nick Scott who finally got the Storm on the board with a power play goal from the point with just under 5 minutes to play.
Down by a goal and with the clock ticking down on their OMHA playoff run on, the Storm were able to build on the momentum and leave it all on the ice. Blocking shots, sacrificing the body, insert hockey cliché here, they did all that was necessary. Finally, with 1:38 left in the third, Storm winger Chase Houston buried a bullet of a shot from the top of the circle to tie the game at 2. The crowd went wild, and we were heading to overtime.
Just 30 seconds into the extra frame the Storm were assessed a penalty which would have been a cause of concern on most nights, but the Saugeen Shores penalty killers had been perfect in the 5 previous times during the game. The momentum that the Storm had built during the third was enough to carry them through. Just a minute after the penalty was called, the Saugeen Shores penalty killers wreaked havoc in the Listowel end and managed to force a crucial turnover. Storm winger Dane Heipel got the puck to centre Austin MacKinnon who potted the shorthanded overtime winner and the Plex crowd went wild.
The Storm Bantam B’s look forward to the fifth and deciding game in the series as they travel to Listowel on Sunday (Jan 22).