The Bantam AE Thamesford Pizza Rep
squad travelled to Ayr for a rare Saturday night game in Southern Counties
action and were handed a 4-1 loss by the hometown Flames.
The Express had a tough time maintaining any type of sustained pressure or prolonged puck possession as the Express fore check did not produce many turnovers. The visitors seemed content to dump the puck into the Flames zone for most of the game and sit back and try to pick off passes all game. A strategy that would lead to Ayr generating a number of solid defensive zone rushes and majority of play in the neutral zone.
While the first ended with neither team able to get on the score sheet, the home side would start to exert their physicality and puck possession dominance and score twice before the second period was over.
Kieghan applies some pressure to the Ayr Defense.
Emmitt and Ben generate a scoring chance.
In the third the Express were looking for any type of spark and seemed to get it early in the third from forward Isaiah DeWit. DeWit picked up a loose puck and managed to out race the two Flames defensemen. In all alone on the Flames goalie, DeWit would put the puck top shelf to cut the Flames lead to 2-1. A couple of undisciplined penalties by the visitors would end the momentum and allow the Flames to keep the pressure on.
Luke W tries to generate some offensive zone puck possession.
Ayr would add two more guys in the middle of the third period to round out the game scoring