Another tournament, another silver finish, News, Searles Motor Products - Novice Rep, 2010-2011 (Ingersoll & District Minor Hockey)

This Team is part of the 2010-2011 season, which is not set as the current season.
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Nov 30, 2010 | drupert | 879 views
Another tournament, another silver finish
On the weekend of November 26-27, the Searles Motor Products Ingersoll Express novice rep team travelled to Port Colborne for the annual Golden Puck Hockey Tournament.  The team started off Saturday morning early, taking on a team from Quinte West.  Parker Hodgson opened the scoring just 0:06 into the first period, and things really looked up for the Ingersoll team. 

The teams played back and forth hockey for most of the first period, and Quinte West was able to tie the game at the 4 minute mark.  Just one minute into the second period though, Hodgson netted his second of the game, putting Ingersoll back in the lead at 2-1.  The Express continued to press, but unfortunately were unable to solve the Quinte West keeper.  They did however play excellent defence, and kept Quinte West off the board.  Final 2-1 Ingersoll.  Assisting for Ingersoll was Brennan Rupert.

Game two saw the Express facing Southern Counties league member Waterford.  Waterford went ahead 1-0 at the 6:42 mark in the first, but just ten seconds later Brennan Rupert drew Ingersoll even on a nice play from Daniel Martineau and Ethan Emerson.  Emerson added a goal of his own later in the period, and Ingersoll went into the break with a 2-1 lead.  Rupert scored again two minutes into the second, but Waterford refused to give up and held their ground, scoring with 0:31 to play in the second.  With 3:10 to go in the third Waterford tied the game at 3-3, but Parker Hodgson added an unassisted goal 9 seconds later to put Ingersoll back in the lead.  Rupert capped off his hat trick 10 seconds after that, putting Ingersoll up 5-3.  Waterford still had some fight left in them, and they continued to press, adding a goal with 0:49 to play.  It was too little, too late though, and Ingersoll held on to win 5-4.  Assisting on the goals were Emerson (2), Cole Ellis (2), Martineau, Hodgson, and Ethan Vlemmix.

Following game 2, the kids were off until Sunday morning, which meant back to the hotel for waterpark, mini sticks, and team building.

Sunday morning was back to business, with the Express taking on the host Port Colborne Sailors.  The teams battled back and forth all period, before Port Colborne was able to net one with just one minute to play in the first.  The teams came back out for the second period, and continued their battle, with neither team willing to give.  With four minutes to play in the second, Port Colborne added their second in a game that appeared the goals would be few and far between.  The hole Ingersoll was in was not insurmountable, but it was a minor concern for the Ingersoll parents, seeing as how well the Sailors goaltender had been playing.  However, Parker Hodgson found the weak spot in the Sailors tender just 0:18 later, and put to rest any notion of a shutout.  Port Colborne still carried the 2-1 lead into the third.  In the third, the play continued to be back and forth, with both teams shutting down the oppositions attack.  Midway through the third though Nolan Adkins decided it was time to go for a skate, and made a nice end to end rush resulting in the tying goal.  That was how it would stay too, with neither team willing to conced the victory to the other.  Final - 2-2.  Assisting on the Express goals were Brennan Rupert (2) and Keegan Purdy. 

The tie left Ingersoll tied with Port Colborne through the round robin, with Port Colborne getting the Pool A first place position on the merit of the goals for.  Next up - semi-final versus Pool B winner Paris Wolfpack.

After lunch it was time for the Express to take on the Paris Wolfpack, a team that they have faced a number of times in the past month through league and tournament play.  The Express gained a first period lead on Paris, and never looked back.  Scoring for Ingersoll with two minutes to go was Keegan Purdy, who netted his first of the season in front of a very excited family.  Ethan Vlemmix scored early in the third period in front of more excited family, and another goal was added by Parker Hodgson just 0:15 later to put Ingersoll up 3-0.  Paris scored a couple of minutes later to draw to 3-1, and pulled their goalie late in the period, knowing that the win was the only thing that would keep them playing.  Hodgson added his second into the empty net, assuring the Express a win and a place in the finals.

Late afternoon brought with it the finals, and fittingly it was a rematch between the Express and the host Port Colborne Sailors.  In a game nearly identical to their first match, right down to the nail biting excitement and back and forth action, the teams skated to a 2-2 draw on Ingersoll goals by Parker Hodgson and Ethan Emerson.  This meant it was time for overtime.  The overtime set up for the tournament consisted of one minute periods, starting at 4-on-4 and removing one player after each minute, until the game was won.  The teams skated back and forth through a minute of 4-on-4 and 3-on-3 and got down to the 2-on-2 matchups.  With just 0:06 to go in the 2-on-2 minute, and 1-on-1 looming, a questionable penalty was called against Ingersoll's Nolan Adkins for interference.  A penalty in overtime meant penalty shot, and Port Colborne was afforded the free opportunity at Ingersoll netminder Logan White.  Port Colborne player Andrew Leblanc skated in on White and made a nice move, sliding the puck past and giving Port Colborne the 3-2 victory.

In all, the Ingersoll Express kids played an excellent tournament, and the fans could not have asked for any better play or any more excitement.  It was well worth the trip down the QEW to see the kids play together the way that they did, and going to the Semi and Finals was the icing on the cake.

Unfortunately, the excitement and play did have consequences.  On Tuesday, November 30 the Searles Motor Products Ingersoll Express novice rep team travelled to Delhi for a league game.  There appeared to be a hangover from the weekend, and the kids all looked exhausted.  The jump in their game from the weekend was no longer there, and the kids fell in a long game to Delhi 5-0.  Ingersoll gets their chance at redemption on Thursday, December 2, when they will again face Delhi, this time on home ice.  The game gets under way at 6:00 pm.

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