Nov 09, 2010 | stottle | 525 views
Stars Lose Silverstick in Double Overtime
The St. Thomas Minor Bantam Jr. Stars suffered a heartwrenching 2-1 loss on Sunday afternoon to the Stratford Warriors in the finals of the regional Silverstick qualifier tournament at the Southwood Arena in Woodstock, Ontario. The winning goal, with four minutes remaining in the second overtime period, was eerily reminiscent of Steve Yzerman's goal against the St. Louis Blues in double overtime during game seven of the Conference Semi-finals in 1996. On this occasion, instead of Stevie Y, it was Maverick Petrie who stepped over the blue line and rocketed a slap shot to the top left corner past a partially screened and completely startled Rogie Tottle to give the Warriors the championship.
The Stars went undefeated on Saturday through round robin play. The opening game against the Oakridge Aeros featured a series of ugly, forgettable goals. While the Stars carried most of the play in the early going, it was the Aeros that surged to a 2-0 lead midway through the game. However, Zach Smith scored in the final minute of the second period to give the Stars a much-needed lift heading into the final frame.
The Stars struggled to generate quality scoring chances in the third period until Josh Mallory banked one in off the pad of Aero's goaltender Kyle Finlay to tie the game at 2-2 with 7:11 left in the game. With just under five minutes remaining, Aero's defenseman Ryan Johnson fell beside his own net, appearing to be the victim of a phantom sniper, which allowing Jesse Tottle to pick up a loose puck and drive in alone on Finlay. Bryce Kernohan alertly followed up and slammed home the rebound to give the Stars their first lead of the game.
The Aeros tied the game at 3-3 with three minutes remaining in the game on a brilliant solo effort from Kurtis Wenman. But the goal only set the stage for Dane Jacoletti as he outmuscled two Aero defenders in a scramble in front of the Aeros net before potting the winner with only 46 seconds remaining on the clock. The Stars held on for a difficult but character building 4-3 victory.
The Stars' second opponent featured alumni Nathan Johnson and the Burlington Eagles. Although scoreless through two periods, the game was highlighted by the remarkable shift of Michael McArthur, Andrew Baxter, Bryce Kernohan, Alex Sanders and Dane Jacoletti. The group was able to maintain possession of the puck in the Eagles end zone throughout the final two minutes of the second period, generating countless glorious scoring opportunities and registering eight shots on goal.
While the Eagles opened the scoring at 9:40 of the third period, the Stars immediately demonstrated their resolve as Bryce Kernohan scored his second goal of the tournament, once again from his office in front of the opposing net, less than thirty seconds later to tie the game at 1-1. Michael McArthur and Andrew Baxter assisted on the play.
Once again, the Stars mustered some late game heroics to pull out the victory. With just over three minutes remaining on the clock and Andrew Baxter in the penalty box for high sticking, Pierce Lawrence fed a streaking Josh Reda in the neutral zone for a short-handed breakaway effort. Josh made no mistake as a slipped a wrist shot underneath the armpit of the Eagles netminder to give the Stars a 2-1 lead that they would not surrender.
On Saturday evening, Zach Smith sat out the first five minutes of the game against Meadowvale Mohawks for his undisciplined play during the third period of the Burlington game. To his credit, once unleashed from the Stars bench, Zach proved to be an unstoppable force throughout the game. Zach completely dominated several shifts with his deft hands, nifty stickhandling and booming shot, which usually missed the net and echoed off the end boards. Nonetheless, during one of his shifts of domination in the second period, Zach spotted Josh Mallory alone in front of the Meadowvale net and threaded a pass through a maze of skates from behind the goal line. Josh quickly deposited the puck top cheese short side to open the scoring for the Stars.
The Mohawks tied the game less than thirty seconds later but Derek Smith scored early in the third period to give the Stars a 2-1 lead. Josh Mallory earned the lone assist on the play. Despite playing shorthanded for the final 2:24 of the third period, the Stars held on for their second consecutive 2-1 victory and earn their berth in the semi-finals.
On Sunday morning, the Stars were matched up against a gritty Woodstock team that had just upset a formidable foe in Sarnia the previous night. In this game, Josh Reda took his turn sitting out the first five minutes of the contest for his undisciplined play to end the Meadowvale game. In his stead, swingman Jesse Tottle started the game on right wing and generated immediate offence from the opening face off. After a flurry of activity in front of the Woodstock net, Zach Smith moved in from the blue line, picked up a loose puck and wristed a shot high into a vacated Woodstock net only sixteen seconds into the game to give the Stars an early lead.
Four minutes later, Woodstock tied the game at 1-1 when Chris Nauts managed to elude two Stars defenders and jam one under the pads of Stars goaltender Brennan Agius only seconds after Isaac Robinson emerged from the penalty box The game remained tied a 1-1 until midway through the second period when Isaac Robinson atoned for his indiscretion by picking up an errant puck deep in the Woodstock zone and absolutely lasering a fifteen foot wrist shot high over the blocker of a helpless Brendan Bloomfield for a 2-1 Stars lead.
The Stars gave themselves some much needed breathing room with five minutes remaining in the game when Andrew Baxter slammed one home from just off the left post to increase the Stars lead to 3-1. The goal followed some beautiful puck movement by the Stars power play and can be considered one of the prettiest of the season for the Stars, but only if you choose to believe that MicMac was passing the puck to Andrew rather than attempting to shoot. Zach Smith was also credited with an assist on the goal.
Woodstock made it interesting by scoring again with less than two minutes remaining on the clock but Isaac Robinson scored his second goal of the game into an empty net to seal the victory for the Stars. Pierce Lawrence and Josh Reda assisted on the play.
The Stars faced a very strong and talented Stratford Warrior team in the finals on Sunday afternoon, and unfortunately were without the services of captain Matty Thomson due to a somewhat controversial hitting from behind penalty in the semi-final game against Woodstock. In support of their missing captain, the Stars came out strong and dominated much of the first period. Zach Smith opened the scoring for the Stars on their first power play opportunity of the game when he rifled a twenty foot wrister high over the blocker of Warrior goaltender Wyatt Taylor midway through the first period. Dane Jacoletti and Andrew Baxter earned assists on the goal.
The Stars appeared to tire in the second period and were clinging to 1-0 lead as the second period ended. During the intermission, it was agreed that the Stars had an excellent chance of holding on for the win if they could manage to stay out of the penalty box and play at even strength. Ominously, Jesse Tottle was flagged for tripping for the first Stars penalty of the game with 4:34 left on the clock. With exactly three minutes remaining, Maverick Petrie blasted a shot from the blue line which deflected off a Stars stick up and over the blocker of a helpless Rogie Tottle to tie the game at 1-1.
The Stars appeared to take the lead with less than two minutes remaining in the game. Andrew Baxter, Michael McArthur and Bryce Kernohan attacked the Stratford net on a 3-on-1 break. Warrior netminder Wyatt Taylor stopped the first shot with his left pad before MicMac knocked away the rebound to a wide open Andrew Baxter, who found himself staring at a yawning cage. Unfortunately, the official lost sight of the puck and blew the play dead just as Andrew was sliding the puck into the empty net for what would have otherwise been the winning goal.
Ultimately, Maverick Petrie scored his second goal of the game with four minutes remaining in the second overtime period to give the Warriors the championship and the right to participate in the International Silverstick tournament in January.
Tournament Notes: T.J. Turley appeared to be shadow boxing in the penalty box during the first overtime period. Not sure who he was imagining to hit....Alex Sanders, Bryce Kernohan, Derek Smith and Josh Mallory played their best hockey of the season during the tournament...The Stars played in excess of five games in 33 hours over the weekend....Although it was a bitterly disappointing finish to the weekend, Stratford is a deserving champion and the best team the Stars have played so far this season...For the most part, the officiating was excellent throughout the tournament, which led to some exciting and intense hockey...Stars fans witnessed improved play in the team's stretch passes and regrouping....The Stratford game marked the third time this season, and first loss, when their opponent had more penalties than the Stars....The Stars finish the first half of the season this week with four tough games against Oakridge, Hamilton, Brantford and London....Until then, keep your stick on the ice and keep reaching for the Stars.