The Ponting Financial Group Ingersoll Express travelled to Blenheim to take part in their third tournament in four weeks, the Golden Acres Tournament. Having successfully won the Ingersoll, South Huron and Port Colborne tournamenrs this fall, the team was hoping to add to their growing collection of hardware. However, the schedule looked to be packed with worthy competition to put the team to the test. In addition, key players for the Express were feeling a little under the weather, but didn't miss the tournament and pushed through the illness.
The team started off by facing a very strong Dunnville team on Friday night. After a feeling out period in the first, Dunnville scored two very quick goals in the first minute of the second period, putting Ingersoll into a hole right off the hop. Ingersoll regained their composure, and held them off the scoreboard for the rest of the period, but after two the score was 2-0. In this tournament, winning a period was almost as valuable as winning the game in the end, as the teams would be seeded according to their point totals for periods won.
The Express came out quickly in the third period, but it took about five minutes before Brennan Rupert was finally able to solve the Mudcats goaltender and get Ingersoll on the board. Dunnville though added to their lead midway through the third period, regaining the two goal lead. Knowing that the period was tied, Ingersoll coach Jared Boersma tried to gain the extra half point for winning the third and pulled the goaltender. Unfortunately, Dunnville was able to capitalize on the empty net a couple of times, and Ingersoll was unable to sustain any pressure with the extra attacker. Final score, Dunnville 5 Ingersoll 1.
Saturday Ingersoll returned to Blenheim to take on rival Tillsonburg Tornadoes. The teams had played earlier in the season, skating to a 2-2 draw in Southern Counties league play. This game was their first meeting since then, and a time for Ingersoll to show Tillsonburg that they didn't see the best Express team play in that earlier game. However, once Tillsonburg hit the ice, it was evident that Ingersoll didn't see the best Tornadoes team that day either. Tillsonburg opened the scoring early in the first period, and extended their lead to 2-0 just minutes later, again putting Ingersoll into a 2-0 hole. This time the Express regained their composure and bounced right back into the game. Early in the second period, the line of Brennan Rupert, Joel Verspeeten and Isaac Westlake put pressure at the Tillsonburg net, with Westlake finally able to bang the puck in and narrow the gap to 2-1. Then late in the period, after Tillsonburg had scored to regain the two goal lead, Brennan Rupert got a breakaway rush and netted his second of the tournament, to close within one, but more importantly to win the period for Ingersoll.
The third period began with Tillsonburg holding off all the pressure that Ingersoll could throw at them, until the five minute mark when Parker Hodgson was able to put a shot past the Tillsonburg goalie and tie the game up. Then in the dying seconds of the period, Rupert was able to add another off of a nifty passing play with Parker Hodgson, followed by some banging at the net, lifting Ingersoll to the 4-3 victory and giving them the important 2 points for winning the game.
After filling their bellies at a team dinner, the boys moved over to Ridgetown for their final round robin game against a strong Mt. Brydges Cougars team. Knowing that they'll be facing these same Cougars in the Silver Stick Regional in two weeks, it was a good time to feel the team out to prepare for that game. But more importantly, it was the Cougars that stood between the Express and their chance at a 4th straight tournament finals.
It wasn't until midway through the game that either team was able to score, but it only took :55 for each team to find the back of the net, first Mt. Brydges, and then Parker Hodgson responding immediately for Ingersoll. After two, the score was knotted at 1-1, and it was very evident that Mt. Brydges was not an unbeatable team for Ingersoll.
Just 20 seconds into the third period Mt. Brydges took the lead again on a quick goal, and followed it up with another three minute later. Ingersoll's Aden Brown got one back for Ingersoll, closing the gap to 3-2, but Mt. Brydges regained the two goal lead just 52 seconds later. Daytn Racicot added another for Ingersoll with 6:00 to go to narrow it to 4-3, but no matter the sustained pressure Ingersoll just couldn't find another goal in them, and went down to defeat for just the third time this season. Final score 4-3.
After the game it seemed that Ingersoll's time at the tournament had come to a close. However, on the way home the team learned that Tillsonburg had lost to South Kent 4-2, and that they had only managed to gain 1/2 a point out of the game (for tying one period). That meant that Ingersoll and Tillsonburg were tied for 2nd place in their pool with 5 1/2 points each, giving Ingersoll the advantage since the first tie-break was head to head result. That meant that Ingersoll snuck into a second place finish in the pool, advancing them to the consolation final on Sunday against the host South Kent Lightning.
The team returned once again on Sunday to Blenheim for the Consolation game. The teams went back and forth for a while before Parker Hodgson potted one, giving Ingersoll the first goal of the game for the first time all weekend. Being in the driver's seat was a much more comfortable position for this team, and they took full advantage of it, playing excellent defensive hockey, keeping any shots to the outside for goaltender Logan White to square up on, and giving him lots of time to see the shots when there were any. For the most part though, the team kept the Lightning hemmed into their own end for much of the first and second periods. Midway through the second Brennan Rupert added a little insurance to the Ingersoll lead on a second effort goal. From then on, each player did their job. All the forwards maintained the pressure on the puck just as asked, and the defence group worked perfectly together, ensuring that goaltender White was well assisted. Late in the third period and down two goals South Kent pulled their goalie, and were finally able to sneak one in with the man advantage. But it would prove to be too little, too late, and Ingersoll held on for the 2-1 victory and the Consolation Trophy.
Congratulations boys on a job well done. This weekend's games were the team's 23, 24, 25 and 26th games since November 1st, yet they still stuck with it through the illness and fatigue.
Next up the team hosts the first place Twin Centre Stars on Tuesday night in Southern Counties action for what should be a great game, followed by a trip down the highway to visit Paris on Thursday night. Come out to the game Tuesday and cheer on your Express as they face their toughest Southern Counties challenger of the season.