Game # 37
Bowmanville Eagles 4 - Lindsay Muskies 3 (shoot out)
January 11th, 2008 in Lindsay
Summary
The leading scorers for the Muskies chose the wrong time to have an off-night. They created plenty of good scoring chances, often appearing to have Chris Azzano in the Bowmanville net well beaten, but they just couldn't put the puck in the net. Instead it was left to Aaron Keaney (two) and Cam Granger to get the goals that earned a valuable point. But the Muskies will likely consider it a point lost as much as a point gained as the Eagles secured the extra point in the penalty shoot out. This was the third time in eight days that the Muskies have gone beyond the third period in a game.
Period 1
When the Muskies come out hard to start a game, it seems like it is always the other team that scoreas first. In this game it worked the other way around. The Eagles came storming out of the gates and really put the Muskies under pressure, although Richard Nerland wasn't undult tested as the defence did well to keep the visitors at bay. Then the Muskies took the lead with what was their first real chance. It came at 4:40 when Aaron Keaney skated away towards the left boards but fired a shot back into the right hand side of the net. Assists were given to Cam Granger and Alex Fiset. That seemed to wake the Fish up and from then on they played some good hockey. Play went from end to end, with the teams looking evenly matched. The Muskies did take the only penalty of the period but killed off the powerplay well and if anything, they finished the period the better team. Rob Kay marked his debut with a shot that deflected just wide and then in the last thirty seconds, Kevin George rang a shot off the post with goalie Azzano down and out.
Period 2
Quite how the Muskies didn't score in the second period is hard to say. They continued to play some excellent hockey, as did their guests. Kyle Stojsin became the second Lindsay player to hit the post when he did so on a powerplay, and soon after he sent a crisp pass across the crease to Ryan Oliver who slid his effort just wide. In the last couple of minutes, though, there were a few signs that the Muskies might be letting up very slightly and eventually it cost them. The Eagles built up down the left wing and Brandon Couto finished it off with a neat shot past Nerland at 18:36. So going into the third period, both teams had all to play for and it was hard to guess which way it would go, although the Muskies likely had a clear advantage in the tally of quality scoring chances to this point.
Period 3
The nets began to bulge in the third period as the two teams shared four more goals between them. First up was an excellent individual goal by Aaron Keaney at 4:25. Elliott Richardson forced the puck into the Bowmanville zone and Keaney really had no right to reach it - but he did. He then beat Azzano completely with a neat cut to the right and flicked the puck into a gaping net. The lead only lasted a couple of minutes, though. At 6:32, Couto matched Keaney's pair of goals when he managed to meet a pass from Dustin Ekelman in the crease ahead of Richard Nerland. The Muskies continued to look good, though, and so it came as a surprise when the Eagles took the lead. It came at 10:52 when Hunter Syrydiuk blasted a shot from the blue line and Josh Shalla deftly redirected it between Nerland's pads. Despite the setback, the Muskies kept coming forward. looking to at least tie up the score. Level the scores they did at 16:19. Mike Wills let rip with another hard shot that Azzano couldn't handle. The puck went up and then came down behind the goaltender, but didn't have enough momentum to cross the line. It became a race for the puck, which was won by Cam Granger who threw himself at it and forced it home, although he had to do a somersault to do it. The goal came with 3:41 to go, and although both teams went all out to win in regulation, it didn't happen. The Eagles did get the puck in the net one more time but one of their players had clearly already knocked the net off, and had gone through Nerland to do so.
Overtime
Lindsay had all the best chances in overtime, getting in three shots of their own and preventing Bowmanville from getting a single one. But nothing was decided, so for the second consecutive game, the Muskies went to a penalty shoot out.
Shoot-out
On Tuesday, the Muskies proved victorious in Peterborough on the shoot out, but tonight things just didn't work out for them - which may have been helped by the fact that the Bowmanville coaching staff witnessed Tuesday's skills contest. After the first round, the Eagles went ahead with Josh Shalla scoring again. In the second round, Shayne Taylor had the chance to level the score for Lindsay. In Peterborough, he had been ridiculously good in the shoot out, but this time he had the misfortune to see the puck roll off his stick before he even got close and so he never even managed a shot. Nerland saved the second Eagles shooter, keepin the game alive. This meant that Kyle Stojsin had to score but Azzano's right pad denied him to win tiebreaker. The end came much quicker than it did in Orangeville tonight, where the Crushers and Newmarket had to go 16 rounds before the Hurricanes edged it.
Box Score: Click here
Game Sheet: Click here
Photographs
Aaron Keaney was skating away when he shot in the first goal, so he isn't even in the picture as referee Brown points to the puck in the net.
#26 Rob Kay made his Lindsay debut this evening.
Alex Fiset has to put his brakes on in the second period.
After a great individual goal by Aaron Keaney is surpassed by two Bowmanville goals, Cam Granger had to throw himself at the puck to tie the game, while #9 Alex Fiset watches him somersault.
Lindsay's last hope in the shoot out, captain Kyle Stojsin, is denied by Azzano's pad.