Article Submitted by Mike Martineau.
The Shooter's Photography team took their talents to Exeter this past weekend for the 2019 South Huron Regional International Silver Stick Tournament. The team did not disappoint in their performance as they reached the finals.
ROUND ROBIN GAME vs SOUTHWEST BULLETS (L 3-1)
In the opening game of this year’s Silver Stick tournament held at the Stephen Township Arena in South Huron, the Shooter’s Photography Midget Local League team fell 3-1 to the Southwest Bullets in a contest that, by all accounts, should have been won by the Express. Ingersoll spent most of the first period controlling the play and generating good scoring chances. In particular, the line of Max Branderhorst, Alex Schuett and Cohen Belore applied relentless pressure in the offensive zone. At the other end of the rink, the Ingersoll defensive corps did a good job of clearing loose pucks from the front of the net, and goaltender Dawson Sharpe was there to turn away the handful of dangerous opportunities that the Southwest team managed to generate.
The Ingersoll forwards continued to work hard in the second. As the Bullets applied some pressure of their own looking for the game’s opening goal, Kieghan Osmond made a nice defensive play, reaching back and lifting the stick of a Southwest forward who had managed to sneak in behind the Ingersoll defense. Later in the frame reliable blue-liner Daniel Martineau broke up a two on one, snuffing out what could have been a dangerous rush for the Bullets. While on the powerplay in the final minutes of the period, Liam Knox, Tyler Bergman and Matt Molnar buzzed the net but were unable to break the scoreless tie.
Ingersoll’s hard work finally paid off in the third, when Branderhorst and Schuett worked a perfect give and go. Branderhorst took a nifty return pass from Schuett, who was positioned behind the Bullet’s net, and lifted the puck into the top corner, putting the Express up by one. Later in the period, while playing a man short, Braden Wright and Brendan Aarts showed good hustle, maintaining control of the puck in the offensive zone and coming up with two excellent scoring chances. Back at full strength, a point shot by Ben Scott was tipped in front by Belore but the puck stayed out. A booming slap shot from defenseman Lucas White sailed just over the net. With three minutes left to play and Ingersoll still ahead 1-0, the Bullets scored a lucky goal on a wrap-around play. Lady luck smiled on the Bullets once again seconds later when a loose puck in front of the Ingersoll net deflected off a skate and in behind Dawson Sharpe. Suddenly down 2-1 in the dying minutes of a game that had seen them hold a definite edge in play, the Express peppered the Bullet’s netminder with shots, but the Southwest puck-stopper held his ground, giving his team the opportunity to sail a shot down the ice into the empty Ingersoll net.
ROUND ROBIN GAME 2 vs NORTH MIDDLESEX STARS (W 5-2)
In game two of the tournament the midget boys faced off against the North Middlesex Stars. Less than a minute into the contest the Stars took advantage of a sloppy Ingersoll line change, jumping out to an early 1-0 lead. At the mid-way mark of the opening frame the Express pulled even when feisty forward Liam Knox banged home the rebound of a Matt Molnar shot. Less than a minute later Alex Schuett found the back of the net with a nice backhander. The Ingersoll lead was short lived however, as the Stars notched a powerplay goal to even the score at 2-2.
The two teams continued to battle in the second. Ingersoll regained the lead when Colin Van Dyk wired a shot from the point and Austin Brunelle shoveled the rebound across the goal line. The Express came close to taking a two goal lead when Schuett won the draw allowing Braden Wright to unleash a wicked slapshot from the blue line. With two minutes remaining in the period Tanner George was tripped up as he fought his way into the offensive zone, but Ingersoll was unable to cash in on the powerplay.
Dawson Sharpe was forced to make two excellent pad saves as the Stars tried to beat him along the ice half way through the third period. With six minutes remaining Ben Scott fired a shot from the point, Dylan Daltrey took a swipe at the rebound and Matt Molnar moved in to tap the puck in behind the Stars netminder. Sixteen seconds later Molnar set up Schuett for his second goal of the game, and suddenly the Express were in control with a comfortable three goal lead. The two teams traded chances as the clock clicked down, but in the end the Express prevailed 5-2.
ROUND ROBIN GAME 3 vs STRATHROY Jr. ROCKETS - BLUE (W 3-2)
Game three of the tournament saw the Express tangle with a determined team from Strathroy. The winner would advance to the semi-final, so both teams came ready to play. Fans were treated to a thrilling nail-biter of a contest that saw Ingersoll dominate offensively at times, only to be thwarted by some exceptional goaltending. Strathroy got on the board first just three minutes after the initial puck drop, but Ingersoll got that one back when a shot from Max Branderhorst rang off the post and Tyler Bergman was in position to tap home the rebound. Later in the period defenseman Colin Van Dyk rifled a shot off the back boards, the puck bounced off the Strathroy netminder’s numbers and came to rest inches from the goal line. With less than a minute left on the clock and the Express pressing to take the lead, Brendan Aarts rattled a wrist shot off the iron.
Ingersoll started the second period on the powerplay but failed to capitalize with the man advantage. Lucas White had two excellent opportunities to score from the point, but on both occasions the Strathroy goalkeeper stood his ground. Mid-way through the period defenseman Brendan Aarts noticed speedster Cohen Belore flying up the middle of the ice and hit him with a perfect stretch pass that sent number 13 in all alone behind the Strathroy defenders. Once again, the Strathroy puck stopper kept Ingersoll from scoring the go-ahead goal.
The third period got under way with the score tied 1-1 and Strathroy on the powerplay. Ingersoll fans gasped when a fluttering shot bounced off the crossbar in behind Dawson Sharpe. As play continued, a Daniel Martineau shot from the blue line made it through but bounced off the outside of the post. After successfully killing off a questionable body-checking penalty, the Express finally managed to score the go-ahead goal when Belore fired a shot on net and Branderhorst was there to bury the rebound. Kieghan Osmond earned an assist on the play. Strathroy fought back to tie the game less than two minutes later. Sensing that they needed a win to secure a spot in the semi-final, Ingersoll turned up the heat in the final six minutes. Finally, with just over two minutes remaining, Alex Schuett took a pass from Matt Molnar and put the puck behind the Strathroy goaltender just as the net was knocked off its moorings. Ingersoll held on to win 3-2, their hard work and tenacity rewarded with a trip to the semi-final on Sunday.
SEMI-FINAL vs LUCAN IRISH (W 3-2)
The semi-final match up pitted the Express against the Lucan Irish, a team that had finished first in the tournament’s A division. The Irish controlled the play for the first half of the opening frame. Dawson Sharpe kept Lucan off the scoresheet until the Express players eventually woke up and started taking the game to the Irish. Braden Wright made a heads-up play sending Cohen Belore in all alone. Number 13 made no mistake, picking the top corner and putting the Express up 1-0. As play continued Daniel Pullen slid a pass out to Matt Molnar who was battling for position in the crease, but the Irish netminder was able to come up with the loose puck. With three minutes remaining in the period Austin Brunelle stormed up the middle on a clear breakaway but the Lucan goalie was there to turn away the shot and keep it a one goal game. Ingersoll was assessed a four minute penalty as the period wound down. While killing the penalty, Matt Molnar had an excellent opportunity to score a shorty when he was able to sneak in behind the Lucan defense and break for the net.
Four minutes into the second period Alex Schuett scored an unassisted goal to put Ingersoll ahead by two. As play continued, the line of Tanner George, Dylan Daltrey and Austin Brunelle controlled the puck in the offensive zone and came close to giving the Express a three goal cushion. On his next shift, hard-working forward Tanner George stormed in on a clear breakaway and unleashed a shot that beat the Lucan goaltender but ricocheted off the crossbar and over the net.
A desperate Irish team fought back in the third period, scoring two unanswered goals to even things up at 2-2, setting up an exciting finish to the semi-final match. With two minutes left on the clock Liam Knox gave Ingersoll fans reason to celebrate when he pounced on a Daniel Martineau rebound and lit the lamp for the go-ahead goal. Belore and Osmond earned assists on the play. With a minute to play and the Lucan net empty for the extra attacker, Dawson Sharpe pulled off a game saver, flashing the leather to snag a blistering shot that was headed for the top corner. With the well deserved 3-2 victory, the Express advanced to the tournament final where they would face off against the Petrolia Oilers.
FINALS vs PETROLIA OILERS (L 2-1)
As the championship showdown got under way, Petrolia had Ingersoll running around in their own zone. The Oilers were rewarded with the game’s opening goal four minutes in. As the Express had done when they fell behind early in the semi-final match against Lucan, the boys responded by kicking it into a higher gear and taking control of the game. The skilled, high energy line of Liam Knox, Cohen Belore and Alex Schuett created five or six quality scoring chances before number 13 managed to flip the puck into the net while sprawling to the ice in the crease area.
As the second period got under way, Tanner George, Matt Molnar and Austin Brunelle pressed for the go-ahead goal but were denied. Schuett was awarded a penalty shot when a Petrolia defender closed his hand on the puck during a scrum in front of the Oilers net. Petrolia’s netminder got a piece of the shot and the game remained tied at 1-1. With time running out in the middle frame, the Oilers bounced a shot off the goal post, but the puck stayed out.
Early in the third period Ingersoll forward Dylan Daltrey let go a nice wrist shot from the left circle, but was unable to find the back of the net. Moments later Braden Wright went down awkwardly as he battled for the puck along the boards in the Oilers zone. Wright stayed down for several minutes, in obvious pain, clutching his right knee as concerned fans and teammates looked on. Wright had to be helped off the ice, but eventually returned. For the second time is as many games, defenseman Lucas White took a slap shot to the chest area, but luckily for the Express number 18 was not seriously injured. With six minutes left to play in the third and overtime looming, the Oilers managed to score their second goal of the contest. Ingersoll fought hard to tie things up, pulling Sharpe for the extra attacker in the final minute, but Petrolia held on for the 2-1 victory.