Hanover Falcons 3 - Kincardine Kinucks 4 (OT)
The Home Hardware sponsored Kincardine Novice Kinucks were looking to get their end of season play-offs back on track following a heartbreaking 3-2 overtime loss against the Blyth Brussels Bulldogs.
The team would be hoping to carry on with the same work ethic and attitude displayed in the Bulldogs game, when it was really difficult to pick out any single player following such a fantastic team effort. That said; one player who was simply fantastic, was Jared ‘you shall not pass’ Houghton. Having played for an extended period on the wing this season, Houghton returned to the blue line for the Bulldogs game and that is where he would stay against the Falcons. Again, he would deliver an excellent display..
The game started with some early Kinucks pressure on the
Falcons net. However, somewhat against the run of play, it would be the Falcons
who would take the lead. Intercepting a pass and skating on to the Kinucks net,
Cole Doersam fired the Falcons ahead.
This game would be end to end throughout the first period and
with only 2 minutes remaining in the first, the Kinucks would tie things up. Feeding
from a Noah Swann pass, Kwade Beisel expertly buried number one and it was game
on.
The next goal in this play off game, might have given Don
Cherry a sharp pain in his side, since the Kinucks would be icing their
European / French Canadian line!! The line consisting of Cam Fletcher, Quinton Pagé
and Jesse Pagé would put the Kinucks ahead. Jesse Pagé would fire this one
home, completing the ‘French Connection’ as Quinton Pagé collected the assist..
The other assist on the goal might have given Don Cherry a little more
additional pain, if you factor in some of Noah Page’s Australian heritage! Goal
by Pagé, from Pagé, from Page!!!
The Kinucks would maintain their 2-1 lead throughout the
second period. It seemed like Kincardine couldn’t buy a goal, as they
repeatedly went close to extending their lead. A lot of credit should go to
Spencer Teeple in the Hanover net, as he put up a sterling performance,
stopping shot after shot. In typical style Cody McLelland and ‘the Brock Star’
Brock Courtney were delivering all action displays. The Kinucks were skating
hard, as were their Falcons counterparts.
In the third period, Kincardine looked to have grabbed the
lead they were looking for when Noah Swann lifted a puck into the top corner of
the net, only for it to bounce straight back out! No goal was given and the
game continued on! This almost became the TSN turning point as it would now be
Hanover who would have their own spell of pressure. With only 4 minutes
remaining in the game, the Falcons grabbed two quick goals and leapt into a 3-2
lead. Kincardine’s hearts looked to be broken again. This was certainly the
case for the Kinucks coaching staff, as a heated debate ensued with the men in
stripes!! The referee had turned Kinucks
centre, Noah Swann, away from the defensive face off, for an alleged late line
change. This then contributed to the Hanover go-ahead goal.
Things could have got much worse, as the Falcons continued to
apply pressure. Had it not been for the some excellent defensive work from the
likes of Noah Page and Holden Stevenson, as well as the back checking forwards,
Carson Fletcher and Sam MacTavish. Holden Stevenson, in fact, had his best game
of the season in my opinion.
The drama wasn’t yet over in this game, as the Hanover
Flacons broke through with Cohen Martin firing a wrist shot on net. For a split
second I felt that the game had slipped from Kincardine’s grasp. Now, I may
have thought this but it hadn’t slipped from the grasp of Kinucks goalie, Ryan
Tanner! Instantly changing his body direction Tanner made a sprawling glove
hand save! This was simply breath taking and another typical performance from ‘The
Berlin Wall’! However, what would prove to be the TSN turning point had
arrived!
Kincardine sped up the other end of the ice for Cody
McLelland to score, assisted by Noah Swann, it was tied at three!
Pulse rates were now beyond racing and this game looked to
be heading to overtime. Surely, there couldn’t be any more drama in this game,
I thought. Oh, how wrong I was! As power forward Sam MacTavish worked
aggressively on the back check, he would be the recipient of a 2-minute penalty
for body checking! This was almost enough stress to put both sets of supporters
over the edge. Two minutes remained in this tied play-off game and the Kinucks
would have to see it out short-handed! During these latter stages Coach, Greg
Tanner, would expertly use his time out to help his players get through the
last two minutes. Supporter’s hearts were racing still further as the penalty
killing unit of Noah Swann, Cody McLelland, Cam Fletcher and Quinton Pagé
battled to keep the Falcons at bay. Thankfully,
the Kinucks would hang in and take this game to overtime…
Overtime would prove to be no different as this game remained
a thriller. Both teams should take great credit for producing a memorable play-off
game.
With only one minute remaining in overtime Noah Swann would
provide elation for Kincardine and devastation to Hanover. Collecting the puck
in his own end he stick-handled past 4 players and, when faced with the Hanover
goalie Teeple, he would lift it over his glove hand and into the top corner of
the net! 4-3 Kincardine and a great victory, with much credit going to the
Falcons for their efforts in this game!
Possibly rubbing still more salt into Don Cherry’s wounds,
the hardest working player awards would go to Cam ‘Chara’ Fletcher and Jesse Pagé.
Doh! Europeans and French Canadians in the play-offs!