Mar 23, 2023 | Cory Winkworth | 277 views
Playdowns semi finals game 3 vs Ayr
The Ingersoll Louie's Pizza and Pasta U15 Express travelled to Ayr for their pivotal game 3 match up in their playdowns semi final series.
With the moms wearing their boys home jerseys and another solid crowd for the game, you could feel the electricity in the building.
The game didn't exactly start the way the boys wanted, as Ayr opened the scoring 27 seconds into the game. With the boys back on their heels and Ayr carrying the play, things took a took a turn for the worse. Or so we thought. As Ayr was carrying the puck on a two on one, a collision happened involving the starting goalie Jaxon Pinard and a few other players. When the dust settled, Pinard had to leave the game due to an equipment issue. The team and fans were grateful it wasn't a serious injury.
Enter Evan Young into the game. Young hadn't seen game action for a few games, so you would have thought that he may have had butterflies. It was the complete opposite. It may have been the turning point of the game.
With the boys down one going into the second, you could see the momentum starting to change as the boys picked up the pace and the physicality. If there was a hit clock, like a shot clock, Colton Thompson would be the leading hitter on the team. He was crushing anything in a Ayr jersey. The boys began to get opportunities but could not find the back of the net. All the while Evan Young was standing on his head keeping the boys hopes alive. With the second period coming to end, the boys headed to the dressing room down one.
In the third the boys came out flying and Ayr ran into some penalty trouble. The power play went to work. With the boys cycling the puck down low, Kolten Winkworth fed Ethan Kish at the point, Kish let a wrist shot go and it was deflected over the goalies shoulder evening the score much to the delight of the Express faithful. As the period wore on, both teams had multiple chances but the goalies were up to the task. Ayr had a late power play, but the Express defence and Evan Young stood tall by blocking shot after shot and making save after save.
What else could possibly happen in this period. Nothing, this game was going to overtime!!!
In OT, both teams had multiple chances but nothing came of it. Evan Young was outstanding in the net for Ingersoll as was the netminder for Ayr. With the time winding down, and the fear of a possible game 4, Eli North found a loose puck in the midst of a couple of Ayr players and went in alone only to be robbed by the goalie. North, never one to give up on a play followed up on his opportunity and found a loose puck and was able to tuck in his own rebound under the pad of the Ayr netminder giving the Express the victory and a chance for the Red Hats at the OMHA playdown championships Easter Weekend.
It was an incredible game and series by two terrific teams. Ayr should be given credit for a well coached, classy team and great coaching staff. Congratulations to Ayr on a fantastic series.
A big congratulations to The Ingersoll Louie's Pizza and Pasta U15 Express on the semi final victory and a chance at the championship. This team has stuck to the system all season led by a fantastic coaching staff and an amazing bunch of kids that have played incredible hockey all season.
The Ingersoll Louie's Pizza and Pasta U15 Express delivered the knockout blow in OT and won round 3 in this epic OMHA semi finals playdown series.
Good Luck in Barrie!!!