The Ingersoll Bantam AE Rep team, sponsored by Thamesford Pizza, traveled to North Dumfries Community Center to take on the Ayr Flames Saturday night in their second league game of the season.
The twelve day lay off between games was evident early on as the Express fell 3-1 on the road.
Coach Clifford gives the pre-game strategy vs. Ayr.
The Express did not get off to the start they wanted as the Flames opened the scoring eight seconds in on a seemingly harmless dump in that went off the glove of goalie Dawson Sharpe and into the net.
This put the visitors on the defensive for most of the first period and with 5:52 left in the period the Express took a double minor. The penalty kill has been one of the strong points for the Thamesford Pizza side early this season, and looked to continue at Ayr. The Express managed to kill off the first minor penalty as Sharpe responded well and made some key saves.
However, the Ayr pressure on the powerplay paid off after Sharpe made two good pad saves on the doorstep. The Express could not clear the puck from the front of the net and the home side jumped on the rebound to hold a 2-0 lead after the first period.
Dawson and Colin holding the line against Ayr attack.
The visitors seemed to find their skates in the second as they controlled the early play and puck possession. The pressure paid off when the Flames took an interference penalty in their own zone with 9:29 left in the second.
The visitors wasted no time in making the Flames pay for it. Forward Matt Overreem cut the Flames lead to 2-1 just five seconds into the powerplay.
The momentum seemed to be turning in favour of the Express but 1:16 after cutting the lead they were penalized again. Ayr scored their second powerplay goal of the game just thirty seconds into the man advantage to go ahead 3-1 to round out the scoring.
Both teams tried to enforce some physical play, and at times the game was chippy, but neither team could put another puck past either goalie. Sharpe did his best to keep his team in the game in the third but the Express could not capitalize on a couple of powerplays, while killing off three Ayr powerplays.
Defensive Faceoff vs. Ayr
The team is in action Monday Oct. 16 when they host the Simcoe Warriors at the Ingersoll Memorial Arena.