Jan 02, 2018 | CherylAnn Golem | 107 views
Midget Rebels End 2017 with a Win
The Township of Chatsworth and District "Moggie Valley Timber Inc." Midget Rep Rebels were backed by goalie Lawson Cumming to a final 'w' for 2017, Sunday afternoon versus the Listowel Cyclones.
The Rebels came out strong as the Cyclones blew into Markdale for the final match up of 2017. Well before the halfway point of period 1, Rebel Cody Cunningham assisted Calvin Stewart in the first goal of the game as the Rebels took the lead 1 - 0.
The teams continued to play solid, end to end, entertaining hockey. Despite all of the turkey dinners and candy canes, the play continued at a fast pace, with both strong checking and good passing plays. About 5 minutes into the 2nd period, Brandon Stewart, not to be out done by his little brother, found the mesh behind the Listowel netminder with an amazing tic tac toe play - Wyatt Golem to Hunter Schultz to Stewart. With a 2 - 0 lead, Rebels seem to take more control of the game but, despite maintaining far more than their share of possession in the remainder of the 2nd period, Rebels failed to register another goal and went to the dressing room with only a 2 goal margin.
Coming out in the 3rd, Rebels seemed to have lost a little of the momentum they had gained in the second half of the third. Though a significant portion of the play was in the Cyclone end, the Rebels allowed a number of breaks and semi breaks into their own end. Cyclones were finally able to capitalize at the midway point of the 3rd to cut the Rebel lead to one. Despite not having seen a tonne of shots in the first two periods (all of which he handled readily), Rebel goalie Cumming had to work hard in the third to turn away a number of excellent scoring chances and the final win of the year was very much in question right to the final seconds of the game as the Rebels seemed less able to control the play and continued to be less hungry for the puck than they had been earlier in the game. Twice during the third, the "unpaid, bleacher-sitting referees" declared a Rebel goal -- unfortunately the paid individuals in the striped jerseys did not see it the same way and, when the final buzzer sounded, Rebels had managed to hang on to win with only a one goal margin and ended the year with a win: 2 - 1.
The Rebels are back in action for one final regular season game Sunday January 7 at 6:45 pm in Mount Forest versus the Rams. Come on out and cheer on the boys for one final game before the playoffs begin. Let's go Rebels!!!