Feb 20, 2017 | dosmond | 702 views
Norwich Knighthawks (1) @ Unifor 3264 (2)
After spending the past weekend in Wallaceburg for the Frank Dymock tournament, the Unifor 3264 Bantam LL team resumed there league schedule tonight by taking on the visiting Norwich Knighthawks.
The game ended up being a game of redemption for the team, especially for forward Brydon Johnson, who scored the game winning goal tonight after having a game tying goal against Kent, waived off that would have advanced his team to the semifinals of the tournament.
The visitors would open the scoring with :20 seconds left in the opening period when a weak clearing pass, through the middle of the defensive zone by the Unifor defense, was jumped on by Norwich and put past goalie Dawson Sharpe. Although not tested very often in the game, Sharpe would not let the visitors find the back of the net again.
After a bit of a flat first period for Unifor 3264, the team came out in the second period with redemption on their minds. With 3:47 gone in the period Unifor Defense man Alex Ball would cause a turnover at his own blue line. Ball would get control of the puck and feed forward Cam Dench who would hit Center man Liam Carson cutting down the left side. Carson took the pass, made one toe drag and fired a wrist shot high blocker side off the inside post to tie the game at 1-1.
With the visiting side constantly sending players to the penalty box (Norwich would take eight penalties including having a player thrown out) Unifor 3264 would finally capitalize on one of their power plays. With 4:21 left in the second period Unifor would score their nicest set up goal of the season.
Carson would jump on a loose puck in the offensive zone and head behind the Norwich net. Carson then sent a blind backhand pass from behind the net to the slot where defense man Luke White jumped into the play and send a one timer on net. A nice pad save by the Knighthawks goalie would end up on the stick of Brydon Johnson as he crashed the crease and sent the puck into the bottom corner of the Norwich net for the game winning goal.
The win puts Unifor 3264 second half record at 5-5-3, good for 13 points and currently sitting in fourth place three points ahead of the Burford Coyotes.
The team is in action this Saturday at 5:30 when they visit Port Dover to take on the Pirates.
"In order to have a winner, the team must have a feeling of unity; every player must put the team first ahead of personal glory." - Paul Bear Bryant