With only thirty-five seconds left to play
in the third period, Sam Tasker, #18 for Louie’s Pizza and Pasta would skate
just inside the Delhi blue line and release a riveting wrist shot from the point,
scoring the game winning goal and putting an end the team’s three-game losing
streak.
Last Friday night’s game in Delhi got off to a slow start and Louie’s Pizza and Pasta found themselves down by one goal after the first period. As the clock slowly counted down the time of the second period, it looked as if the score would remain unchanged; that is until 3:14 when Louie’s #11 Kyle Rachar scored, unassisted. Louie’s Captain, #15 Tyler Goyette, with some help from #7 Tyler Arts and #3 Jacob Branderhorst would make the score 2-1 with 1:04 left in the period. Delhi would tie game at 1:30 in the third, but that tie would be short-lived.
With another win added to their season record, Louie’s returned home to host the Paris Wolfpack the next night, Saturday, December 21. Joining them for his second appearance in as many days was associated player (A.P.) Jacob Branderhorst of the Thamesford Pizza Bantam Local Leaugue. As the puck met the ice to start the game, so too did the Wolfpack become acquainted with the well-prepared Louie’s Pizza and Pasta Ingersoll Express. After ten full minutes of well-executed and entertaining hockey the score remained 0-0.
Louie’s played their strong and well-focused style of hockey well into the second period; then, quite suddenly, the team lost their focus and ability to find, carry or pass the puck. The Wolfpack wasted no time in capitalizing on Louie’s breakdown, scoring four goals in just two minutes. In attempt to get his team to regroup, Head Coach Craig Robinson made a goaltending change following the third goal.
No more scoring would take place until 6:45 of the third period when Louie’s #8 Brady Shapton, along with the services of #9 Nick Likins and #17 Ryan Cooper, would put Louie’s on the board. The Wolfpack would follow with two more goals of their own. Louie’s though were still not done. The last goal of the game would be scored at 1:50 by #6 Eric Savoie, assisted by #12 Nathan Gould and #3 Jacob Branderhorst. The final score 6-2 for the Wolfpack.
As the puck snapped out of the referee’s hand, Louie’s snapped into their high game the next night when they hosted the Port Dover Pirates. Louie’s #8 Brady Shapton, with assistance from #16 Tanner Moon and #9 Nick Likins wasted no time in posting the game’s first goal at 9:22 of the first period. A little less than four minutes later, Shapton would lend his services to Moon for the team’s second and final goal of the period. Eric Savoie, #6, along with some help from Branderhorst would start second period scoring at 13:59. Moon and Shapton would combine for another one at 10:00.Louie’s high level of play would continue and it was obvious the team had put the previous night’s loss behind them. Tonight they would claim the game for their own and claim it they did, helping net-minder #1 Noah Robinson earn his first regular season shutout. Just fifteen seconds later, Moon would lend his services to #15 Tyler Goyette, making the score 5-0.
As the third period got underway, Louie’s played strong defensive hockey. The team worked towards protecting the potential shut-out for their net-minder, #1 Noah Robinson. The Sailors would make several calls to Robinson, which he promptly answered, one rather emphatically by a lightning quick glove save.
Robinson is a man of few words. After his high level of play this season it is obvious he believes that actions speak louder than words; however, on his night he did agree to meet with the media. When asked how it felt to earn his first regular season shut-out for the year, his answer was as quick as his glove hand, "My first regular season shutout felt great, but I couldn't have done it without the help of my team."
Last night Louie’s Pizza and Pasta traveled to Aylmer to play the Flames. There would be no scoring until 5:00 of the second period, as Aylmer successfully found an opening around Louie’s net-minder, #30 Ryan Calder. It took less than two minutes for Louie’s #10 Aaron Lonsberry, assisted by Branderhorst and Tasker, to respond. After two well-skated periods of hockey the score was tied 1-1, as the teams made their way to their dressing rooms and the ice was flooded
“Fifteen minutes, boys; that’s what we have.” were the words spoken by Louie’s Assistant Coach Jeff Shapton as he prepared his team for the third period. Aylmer would start the scoring at 7:55. This goal was answered quickly at 6:22 by Cooper and #5 Riley Jayne. The tie was short-lived as Aylmer scored their last goal of the night just nineteen seconds later. Louie’s would respond twice within the last five minutes of the third period in their quest for the win. At 4:18, Branderhorst would drive hard to the net and direct in a rebound off of a Lonsberry shot to tie it up at 3. With just under two minutes left, Shapton would enlist the services of Branderhorst to help score the game winning goal.
Four nights, four games, three wins and one loss is how Louie’s Pizza and Pasta finished their last week of scheduled play before the Christmas break. The team will be on the ice Friday evening for a practice. Their next game will be January 2, 2014 at the Watford Regional Silverstick Tournament, where they once again meet up with the Petrolia Oilers.
ADDENDUM
A special thanks to Junior Media Rep Tyler Shapton for assisting in the coverage of the game in Aylmer