The STARS came out of the gate a bit flat losing 6-0, but then bounced back to their hard play and determination to beat an overconfident Rangers team winning game 2, 4-3 with 1.6 seconds left on sudden death OT, and then controlled game 3, winning 5-3.
The ST THOMAS PEEWEE AE STARS did NOT roll over after suffering the game 1 loss, but kept fighting and fighting in game 2. The boys were in a hole after the first period 0-2 and then kept cutting into the Rangers lead in the second and third periods. Matt Beckwith came alive with fire and passion in the net, stopping the Rangers from extending their lead with a quick glove hand on the breakaway. Ash O’Connor and Caden Beshara got the defense into the game with a physical and shooting endeavor. David DaCosta, Sam Graham and Josh Allen were just turning pucks back down the ice and setting pucks off the boards to the open wingers.
Cameron Douglas got the PEEWEE AE STARS tied with the Rangers in the second period as he fought for ice position in front of the Rangers net and tipped shots from the defense; Sam Graham and Caden Beshara. When you wish upon a shooting STAR, you’ll find that Joey Hardy is in control of the puck and in the offensive end just hammering the puck at the Rangers net. The STARS kept battling and battling for puck control and net position, Sam Hardy and Carson Nurse stood their ground and kept the pressure up in the Oakville end. Noah Dos Santos had the STARS fans cheering and going nuts in the stands as the STARS took the lead for the first time in the series as he broke in and cut towards the net and hit the far corner. Oakville were on the ropes and the STARS were about to even the series, but somehow the Rangers found the puck and slid it past into the net. Each team kept up the grueling pace but fatigue was starting to settle in and the third period ended in a 3-3 tie and both teams were going to sudden death OT.
The play was back and forth, down one side of the ice to the other, with each team wanting the win and each team not giving an inch. With 1.6 SECONDS left on the clock, Noah Dos Santos wristed the puck at the net; and as the saying goes, “GOOD THINGS WILL HAPPEN WHEN YOU SHOOT AT THE NET”; somehow the Rangers goalie did not play the puck correctly and the STARS evened the series at one a piece heading back to home ice in ST THOMAS.
The talk after the game from the Rangers players and goalie was wow they really came back hard. The Rangers goalie could not believe what just happened; he had his first loss of the season.
Game 3 found an equally impressive STARS TEAM on the ice, keeping the momentum up from the previous game. Chris Wood had an exceptional day in the net using his blocker and pads with precision accuracy and stopping the huge rushers by the Rangers to the STARS net.
The STARS opened the scoring on a power play, as Ryan Payne parked himself at the net and won control of the puck from the side and blasted it in. Oakville came back in the second to tie it up at 1-1. Cameron Douglas got the lead back for the STARS as he blasted a shot from just inside the blue line the smacked off the goalie mask and fell into the back of the net. The PEEWEE AE STARS kept the pressure up and it paid off for Denys Reid as he received the pass from Jake Gillis across the ice and Denys buried another. Again the Rangers came back with another goal to make it 3-2. Then it was the defense show again as all defensemen were firing pucks at the net. Caden Beshara had breaks from one end to the other. Sam Graham also found some open ice and cut in thru the side boards and blew another hard shot past the arm of the Rangers goalie increasing the teams lead to 4-2. Again the Rangers would not give up and die but came back with another goal to make it 4-3. Noah Dos Santos again found himself in control the puck flying across the blue line and made the defense pay for turning the wrong way as he smashed the puck in again.
What a great TEAM effort in the last couple of games boys. The STARS FANS really enjoy watching all your hard work pay off on the ice.
GREAT HEART & SOUL HOCKEY BOYS!!!!!
KEEP IT UP!!!!!
GO STARS!!!!!