South Muskoka Zarmac Atom AE team faced off against the Elmvale Coyotes at home on Saturday. Their last meeting ended in a 3-3 tie. Anxious to break the tie the Bears set the pace for some fast end to end hockey.
Elmvale was first to get on the scoreboard but the Bears answered with 2 quick goals only 9 seconds apart, both scored by Johnson, assists to linemates Cats & Baker, ending the period with the Bears leading 2-1.
The Bears dominated the play throughout the 2nd period but couldn’t get it past the Elmvale goaltender. Zarmac Bears goaltender, Clement stood tall in the net to hold the Coyotes at 1 with an amazing high glove save from a rushing Coyote to end the period with the Bears ahead 2-1. The Bears kept the pressure on throughout the 3rd with some great passing and scoring chances. With only minutes left the Coyotes jammed the puck past netminder Clement after he had made the save to tie up the game. Once again, the Zarmac Atoms tied the Elmvale Coyotes with a final score of 2-2. Coach Bill described his teams performance as “ Great teamwork and intense pressure”.
The Zarmac Atoms travelled to to Minden to meet Highland Storm for the second time this season. The Bears were looking for another win. Highland Storm came out strong in the first period with 2 quick goals. The Bears fought back hard with some great scoring chances but couldn’t beat the Storm goalie. The Storm ended the 1st with another goal leaving the Bears down by 3. The Bears turned on the pressure in the 2nd period, a goal by Cousineau from McNaughton put the Bears on the scoreboard, ending the 2nd down 3-1. After the intermission the Bears came on strong, with the defense holding the blue line to keep the puck in the Storm end, and some great puck cycling, McNaughton with a pass from Crockford, put one by the Storm goaltender making it a 1 goal game.
Some hard skating and backchecking by our defense Buchanan, Mocon, Brasi, and Bennett kept the Storm at 3, and with 1 minute left after intense pressure in the Storms end, Crockford backhanded the puck top shelf past the Storm goaltender to tie it up with a final score of 3-3. Great teamwork Bears!
Submitted by Lori McCormack