Jan 31, 2017 | dosmond | 298 views
1/30/17 Port Dover Pirates (3) @ Unifor 3264 (4)
Battling a two goal deficit twice last night to the visiting Port Dover Pirates could have been the recipe for a disastrous result. But, full marks to the boys for not letting the early part of the game dictate how they finished.
Maintaining their composure and continuing to skate and pressure the visitors, the Unifor 3264 squad would score three goals in just over a span of three minutes half way through the second period. Full effort to every player on the team as the boys were fast on the pressure and puck movement winning a lot of races to loose pucks and puck battles along the boards.
After trailing 2-0 at the end of the first period, thanks to some key saves by the Pirates goalie, the boys would get on the board when defense man Lucas White would take a pass from winger Cameron Dench just inside the Pirates blue line. From the left point White let a wrist shot go that dove down just in front of the net and beat the Port Dover net-minder to cut the lead to one.
The visitors would restore the two goal lead just :18 seconds later on questionable goal when it appeared that Unifor 3264 goalie Dawson Sharpe had the puck saved and covered. The referee called a goal and Unifor 3264 found themselves back in the same hole.
The comeback would start with 6:42 left in the second period while Unifor 3264 was on the power play. With two seconds left in the power play defense man Alex Ball would take the puck at the blue line and feed Dench at the left face off circle. Dench let a wrist shot go that center man Caleb Clifford made a nice tip on while skating through the slot to cut the lead back to one.
Just over a 1:20 later defense man Liam Carson would intercept a Port Dover pass in his own end. Carson would skate end to end and fire a wrist shot to tie the score at 3-3. Carson would score the eventual game winning goal just over two minutes later when his shot from the high slot beat the goalie high on the blocker side.
Unifor had a golden opportunity to add to the lead late in the second and early in the third when the visitors took two penalties giving the home side a two man advantage for two full minutes. The boys were unable to score on the five on three advantage.
Determined to hold on to the lead in the third the home side won almost every loose puck battle. Goalie Sharpe was key in the third period, especially late in the period, when he came up with some key stops.
Every line during the game seemed to be able to out skate the visitors and scoring opportunities were generated by all three lines.
The team is in action again Feb. 6 against the Six Nations Blackhawks at the Ingersoll Arena. Game time is 8:15.
"REMEMBER THAT GUY WHO GAVE UP? NEITHER DOES ANYONE ELSE." -- Unknown.