Mar 16, 2014 | JRupert | 930 views
Express Win, Lose and Draw their way into semifinals
After the conclusion of the OMHA semifinals against Petrolia, the Glenda Ponsonby Ingersoll/Oxford Realty Ingersoll Express peewee rep team has some unfinished business in the Southern Counties league playoffs to tend to. The teams had 4 games to play during the week to put themselves in a position to play for the SCMHA A Division Championship, home and home series with each of Tillsonburg and St. George.
On Sunday, Marrch 9, the team travelled to Tillsonburg to take on the Tornadoes. The game looked more like a pre-season than a post-season game, as Ingersoll had numerous chances throughout the game, but were unable to capitalize on most of their chances. As the game went on, Ingersoll found themselves in a hole, down by a score of 2-1 with the clock winding down. On a last second jam play though, Ingersoll was able to tie the game at 2-2 with 4.4 seconds to play, securing the tie and one valuable point in the quest for the top four in the playoff picture.
Game 2 for the week against St. George, was rescheduled due to the weather on Wednesday, which meant that the team would now play Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Thursday night St. George travelled to Ingersoll fr the first of their two games. In almost a mirror image of Sunday's game, the teams skated to another 2-2 tie, with Ingersoll getting their goals from Keegan Clark and Clayton Hammond. Another valuable point gained, but more importantly an opportunity for that second valuable point was lost.
Friday the team hosted Tillsonburg in what turned out to be a very spirited affair. Ingersoll found the net first, with Parker Hodgson finding the back of the net midway through the first period on a 2-on-1 play. But just 2 minutes later Tillsonburg was able to beat Ingersoll's goalie Logan White, tying the game back up and ending the period the way the teams began it, tied. A few minutes into the second period on a goal mouth scramble Brennan Rupert poked a loose puck in, giving Ingersoll the 2-1 lead. Then it was time for Daniel Martineau to add some insurance for Ingersoll, finishing a great passing play from behind the net by Keegan Clark. In the third period goals were added by Rupert and Daytn Racicot, who scored on the powerplay. The intensity on the Tillsonburg bench got ratcheted up after that, and it appeared as though the refs just wanted to run the clock down and get the game over with before something serious happened within the game. Final score, Ingersoll 5, Tillsonburg 1.
Saturday afternoon the team visited St. George to finish off their round robin games. St. George had a short bench, and Ingersoll jumped ahead right away, with Parker Hodgson netting a Justin Holmes pass just 22 seconds into the game. 3 minutes later Hodgson kept the puck alive with a great second effort, giving an opportunity to linemate Daytn Racicot to jump on the loose puck and finish the play, putting Ingersoll up 2-0. But St. George clawed their way back, picking up a goal with 3 minutes left in the first, and then tying the game midway through the second. The dagger was a goal that St. George was able to get with 4.4 seconds to go in the second period, putting them ahead 3-2. Although Ingersoll had some opportunities in the third, including a couple off of the post brothers, it was not to be, as the hockey gods seemed to be looking down on St. George this game. When the final buzzer sounded, Ingersoll was on the wrong end of a 3-2 score, but were still holding on to second place in the standings, tied with St. George but having one more win.
The stage is set for a semifinal rematch against St. George, who vaulted past Ingersoll into second place witha win over Tillsonburg on Sunday.
Whenever that semifinal game is held, let's bring back the passion we had for the OMHA playdowns and support our boys. The team is deserving of a spot in the finals, and we can give them the home ice advantage, even in St. George, with our passion and backing of the team. Bring out your noisemakers, and your black and red facepaint, and we'll be the sixth man on the team to inspire this team into the finals.
Let's go Express!!!