Brokerlink Boys Secure Trip to the Southern County Final with 2-1 Victory over Glanbrook
Your Ingersoll Brokerlink Atom Rep team
hosted the Glanbrook Rangers for a Southern County semi-final game on Thursday
March 19th at the Memorial Centre. Another large crowd at the old
barn on Mutual were treated to an excellent game. The Rangers looked to extend
their season, while the Express hoped to continue their dominance over Southern
County opposition this season. Ingersoll tore up the league this year finishing
with a 31-0-1 record. Glanbrook came to play and their goaltender had an
excellent game against the powerhouse squad from Ingersoll.
VS. 
Southern Counties Semi-Final 2015
Ingersoll starting goalie Jeremy Hardeman and the Glanbrook tender were excellent in this important game. Hardy would go the distance in goal for Ingersoll and was the difference in the outcome. Hardeman was especially great in the latter stages of the game as the Rangers attempted to send the game into overtime.
Ingersoll AP players Ethan Capern, Bryson Green, and Jack Wolfe were added to the lineup for this game. Braden Wright continues to suffer from a lower body injury and was unavailable.
The first half of the opening period featured excellent scoring chances by both teams. Ingersoll won the initial faceoff and charged into the Ranger zone. The boys created a great scoring chance, but the Ranger goalie made a great save. The potent Ingersoll power play went to work with four and a half remaining in the period. Gavin Bryant won the faceoff in offensive zone. Owen Longlade knocked the puck back to Seth Hedges who rifled a shot to the net. Tye House banged the puck in the net for a 1-0 Ingersoll lead. Hardy made a great glove save near the end of the period to keep the Rangers off the scoreboard.
The Rangers came out strong to start the second period in an attempt to tie the game, but were turned away time again by the strong play of the Ingersoll defence. With just under six to play in the second while on the power play, Glanbrook won the battle for a rebound and buried their chance to even the score. The final minutes of the period were frantic at both ends of the ice with both teams creating chances. With thirty-two seconds left in the period, Bryant was hit from behind in the Ranger end. The Glanbrook player was ejected and the coach of the Rangers turned fifty shades of red in disapproval of the call. The Brokerlink Boys turned up the heat with a flurry of attempts in the final seconds, but were all Swedish and no Finnish.
Two and a half minutes into the third, Ingersoll would take the lead. Alex Schuett fired a shot on goal that was too hot to handle for the Ranger goalie. Cohen Belore was parked on the doorstep for an easy tap in, giving Ingersoll a 2-1 lead. With nine to play, Evan Hopson was nailed out front of the Ranger goal with no call from the officials. On the same shift, Belore was hit at center ice and again no call. The next shift roughing penalties were assessed to both teams with Ingersoll receiving the extra. Kaleb Kloepfer made an excellent defensive play with four to go. With their season on the line and still very much in the game against the top team in the province, the Ranger bench called time-out. Glanbrook elected to pull the goalie for the extra skater the rest of the way. Hardeman made a couple of great saves and the Brokerlink Boys were successful in running out the clock for the victory and a trip to the Southern County Finals.