It has been 16 days between games for the Carmeuse Lime
Midget LL#2 team and signs of the layoff were evident in their first game back as
they traveled to take on the Paris #3 Wolfpack.
With players struggling to get
over the boards and staying on their skates, players ending up in their own net
and two assists for the Express goalie and defense on a Paris goal in the third
period, the visitors managed to overcome the rust and battled back to earn a
point in a 4-4 tie with the Wolfpack.
Led by two goals each from defenseman Avery Shrigley and Center Tyson Condotta, who also had an assist, and two assists by winger Luke Heather the Express scored three times in the third period to erase a two goal lead.
With a 1-0 lead after the first, the Express found themselves down after two periods 2-1. Paris scored in the first minute of the third period but the Condotta would tip in a Lucas White shot to get the visitors back within one. Paris would restore their two goal lead just a couple of minutes later but Condotta would score again to make it 4-3.
The final Express goal would come on a powerplay opportunity thanks to the hard work of defenseman Daniel Martineau. Martineau picked up the puck and led a rush into the Wolfpack zone. As Martineau danced into the Paris end he drew a slashing call from the referee to put the Express on the powerplay.
With the man advantage Heather would pick up his second assist of the game as he outworked the Paris players in the corner and found Shrigley who tied the game up. The Express would find themselves short-handed and thanks to a couple of big saves by Dawson Sharpe the game would stay tied at the final buzzer.