On February 12th, the day after our strong showing in Barrie, the team headed up to Huntsville to play the Huntsville Otters. This was the second time this season that they were playing the Otters, the first time resulted in a 6 – 6 tie.
What would a rematch bring?Within the first minute of the game, Kallum G. in goal for the first two periods, made a fantastic save to stop the Otters from posting the first goal of the day. After Kallum’s save, Mason W. won the face-off and charged down the ice to take our first solid shot on net.
Grayden Z., from right out in front of their net, picked it up on the rebound and tried to jam it in. Wyatt G. hustled to scoop the puck from an Otter and sent it back down to their end where Hudson W. picked it up for another solid shot on net. Jack McG. also made great carry down the ice, manoeuvring amongst the Otters, and then passing it to Hudson W. for a chance on net. On the rebound, the team then tried poking it in for a goal. However, the Otter's goalie was tough and this first period saw great hockey from both teams. The time was ticking down and the last minute of play was upon us. Then, with just seconds left in the first period, Jack McG., assisted by Evan A., slammed in his first goal of the night to put us on the scoreboard. So, the first period ended 1-0.
The team started out strong in the second period. Phenix C. started off with a good shot on net, and then just 20 seconds in, caught a pass from Mason W. to bang in our next goal of the game, to up our lead by 2. Jack McG. captured the puck in front of our end and was able to carry it down the ice to dump it back in their end, deking past many Otters on the way. Colton H. banged the puck back in on a number of occasions, keeping play in their end. Grayden Z. had a great run, moving the puck once again from our end up to their end, where it was picked up by Wyatt G., who had two strong shots on net. Jack G. played a strong defence in this period, making 4 or 5 great plays to thwart any Otter scoring opportunities. Then, at 3:07, Hudson W. carried the puck up the ice and kept control as he jammed in our next goal, assisted by Grayden Z., to take the lead 3- 0. Then, with only 1:44 left to play in the second period, Mason W. followed up with a similar carry down the ice, following up by punting in his first goal of the night. In the last minute of play, Joshua D. hustled to chase down an Otter and deflected a potential goal in this last minute of play; to keep our lead at the end of the period, 4 – 0.
The intense play continued into the third period. Our offensive lines remained strong and the defence didn’t lose their hustle. Evan A. made a great backhanded pass that was picked up by Jack McG. Wyatt G. and Joshua D. chased the puck down and didn’t back down from the scrums. Mason W. made a great shot on net and then, on the rebound, kept trying to poke it in. Colton H. and Jack G. kept banging the puck back into their end. Grayden Z. made a great pass to Phenix C. who tried to punt in another goal. Then, at exactly ½ way through the third period, Mason W. potted in his second goal of the night to up the score 5 – 0. Oliver A. made a great pass to Evan A. from the blue line, who then flicked it up towards the net, a shot that was oh so close. Then, a great team effort was had, when Hudson W. picked up the puck in their end, carried it past some opposition behind their net and tried to poke it in. Grayden Z. and Mason W. were well placed in front of the net and each poked at it, with Grayden Z, getting the ultimate goal and upping our lead again. Seconds later, the Otters got control of the puck and they had a breakaway down the ice, but Oliver H., our goalie for this final period, made a phenomenal save to protect our well fought for shut – out, to end the game 6 – 0.