Feb 25, 2020 | CherylAnn Golem | 490 views
Overcoming Adversity
The Township of Chatsworth and District, Moggie Valley Timber Inc., Midget Rep Rebels changed gears and headed to Ayton to face the West Grey Warriors in WOAA playoff action. Unfortunately, playoff games against Drayton left the Rebels with injuries and suspensions and a shrunken bench.
Given the current gaps in the Rebels lineup there was concern that the Warriors, who have been a challenge for the Rebels this season with a full Rebels roster, would slaughter the Rebels and make advancing to the next round of WOAA play difficult.
Rebels took control off the first face-off and maintained it for the first 3 minutes of the game. Then, the Rebels found themselves on the penalty kill. Rebels penalty kill was a little shaky but for the most part the play moved end to end during the penalty and the end to end play continued until 3:40 when the Rebels found themselves on the powerplay. Rebels struggled during the middle portion of the powerplay as the Warriors swarmed around the Rebels net. With only a few seconds left in the penalty, back in the Warriors end, Jake Moran got the puck to Alex DeJong who gave the Rebels the 1 - 0 lead with a powerplay goal.
Period 1 ended and period 2 began with some good chances for the Rebels and some excellent saves required by Rebels goalie Lawson Cumming, as the game continued with some speedy breakouts and shots and tips.
Just after the 12 minute mark of the second, a passing play in the neutral zone lead to Austin King speeding in to split the defense and head for the shot. Just as it appeared King had cleared the defense, he was hauled down with a hook which led to a Rebels penalty shot. King made no mistake and with a little razzle-dazzle at the end, he handcuffed the Warriors goalie and slid it 5 hole to make it 2 - 0 Rebels.
As the second continued, some of the Rebels began to show some early signs of fatigue as they were not used to nearly so much ice time. A pass from behind the Rebels net found a man wide open on the doorstep and, with no chance for the goalie, it was back to a one goal game.
Rebels had some excellent chances and kept a lot of the play in the Warrior end but a few breakdowns in their own end forced Cumming to be sharp as well as fight through some scrambles in the crease. Just over 2 minutes left in period #2 saw the Rebels applying excellent pressure and though they rung 2 posts seconds apart, the period ended still 2 - 1.
After some excellent chances early in the third, and some rock em sock em hits, Rebels found themselves on the penalty kill once again. Luck was with them however, when 8 seconds later found them playing 4 on 4 hockey. The shrunken Rebels bench continued to push but with just over 5 minutes left they found themselves scrambling again in their own end and, unfortunately, the Warriors evened the score at 2 all.
With less than 2 minutes left in the game, King got the puck ahead to DeJong who carried it in and battled his way around the boards and behind the Warrior net. DeJong threw it out front where it bounced off Moran for the go ahead goal. Rebels were able to hold on as the game ended 3 - 2 in their favour and their WOAA playoff record went to 3 - 0 - 0 -- currently #1 in their round.
Rebels are in Markdale on Thursday, February 27 @ 9pm to face the Huron-Bruce Blizzard (if the Blizzard make it through the predicted blizzard). Come out and cheer them on as they play game 4 of the 6 WOAA scheduled games.
Let's go Rebels!!!