Kincardine Atom AE Kinucks 3 - Mount Forest Rams 0
The Atom AE Kincardine Kinucks were looking to bounce back from their game one defeat and set this season up for future success. With the team still having very little ice time to gel, the on looking crowd were hesitant not knowing what this game might bring.
Typically, Mount Forest develop strong hockey teams and todays opposition proved to be no different. The first period saw both teams battling for supremacy, in a fairly evenly sided match up.
The Kinucks were welcoming back Holden Stevenson, who instantly made a nice defensive partnership with Jessica Anderson. The steady D-Man’s influence allowed Anderson to make some impressive offensive rushes, as the Kinucks tried to break the scoring deadlock. This aforementioned deadlock was soon to be broken when Sam MacTavish stick handled his way past two of the Rams defencemen, before firing a shot top shelf, over the goalies shoulder. This was the break through the Kinucks were looking for as they would gain more and more momentum from this point on.
However, this momentum did stall for a couple of minutes while the Kinucks fended off a Mount Forest power play, with Cam Fletcher justifiably sitting out a two minute body checking penalty. While Fletcher sat in a Mount Forest penalty box that is actually quite familiar to him, he was reliant on the penalty killing unit of Stevenson, Anderson, Condie and Boettinger to skate hard to keep the Rams at bay.
With the penalty behind them, the Kinucks really started piling on the pressure. The on looking crowd were becoming more concerned as Kincardine had a number of excellent scoring opportunities denied by Alias Taylor, in the Mount Forest net. Kinucks forward Aiden Berkman will feel particularly aggrieved, as he went close on a number of occasions, doing everything but score! Berkman wasn’t the only player proving to be a handful for the Rams defence. Sam MacTavish, Bailey Pierson, Zach Eybergen, Noah Page, Brock Courtney and Carson Boettinger, all went agonizingly close to extending the lead.
The Kinucks break through finally came in the third period. Lauren Thede was again putting in a solid defensive display for Kincardine. The confidence in Thede’s capabilities would allow defensive partner, Cam Fletcher, to rush forward and shoot on the Rams net. Taylor would save again, and even block a Noah Page rebound! However, he wouldn’t stop Sam MacTavish who buried his chance, collecting a well-deserved second. Page and Fletcher would be credited with the assists, with both players delivering impressive performances throughout.
This game was put to bed when Brock Courtney blasted a slap shot into the Rams net, making it 3-0, from a Bailey Pierson set up.
The combined goaltending efforts of John Graham and Jared Petrie certainly can’t be ignored. Racking up their first shut-out, these boys are showing signs of becoming the new Berlin Wall! Even fending off another Kinucks penalty, these goalies would not be denied. Kincardine’s ‘guilty’ party for this penalty, was the talented forward Caydence Gibson. In truth, her hooking call was fairly harsh, as she aggressively back checked for Kincardine’s cause. An impressive lift of the stick, yes! A hooking penalty? Harsh!
Overall, this was an impressive team display, giving everyone in attendance much to look forward to, this coming season.