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The Sarnia
Jr. Sting Minor Bantam AA team took on the Brantford
99ers in quarter final action in a first to six
point series (best 3 out of 5). Brantford had home
ice advantage as game one took place at the Gretzky
arena. Both teams were very eager to play each other
in this series due to a recent seeded season game
where emotions ran high on both teams. Brantford was
quick to strike first for a 1-0 lead late in the
opening period as the Sarnia squad seemed nervous.
Second period action would see a steady line of
Brantford players heading to the sin bin giving the
Sting an opportunity to get back in the game but
once again the Sting players seemed to be holding
their sticks just a little too tight and couldn’t
capitalize on the many power play opportunities the
99ers were handing the Sting. Finally late in the
second the Sting would score on the power play to
even the game up at 1-1 heading into the final
period. Mid-way through the third period Sarnia was
assessed a five minute major penalty to give the
99ers a power play opportunity, during that major
Sarnia was given a second penalty giving the 99ers a
5-3 opportunity and they took full advantage scoring
what would be the winning goal for a 2-1 win.
Game two was set for back in Sarnia at the Brock
Street Barn. Sarnia knew they had to improve on
their power play if they wish to be successful in
this series. The game plan was to stay out of the
penalty box and just keep things simple for the
first period to get rid of the nerves and settle
down and play hockey. First period action neither
team could take the lead. Early in the second the
99ers were first on the board with a 1-0 lead, which
was short lived as Sarnia would even the game up at
1-1 with a power play goal. Shortly after Brantford
would restore their one goal lead and hold this lead
going into the final period. Early in the final
frame Sarnia would once again tie the game up but
that would be short lived as Brantford once again
took the a 3-2 lead. Third period action would once
again see many trips to the penalty box with many in
frustration by the 99ers giving the Sting an
opportunity to even this game up. Sarnia called a
time out setup a play and with the goalie on the
bench giving the Sting a 6on4 opportunity would
score the tying goal with just 7 seconds remaining
in the game as it would end 3-3 in regulation
setting the stage for overtime. Just before the
tying goal was scored a penalty was being called on
the 99ers for cross checking in front of the net
giving the Sting a power play to start the overtime
period. Sarnia once again moved the puck around well
and was generating some quality scoring chances on
net and with the 99ers penalty just winding down a
bullet from the point would beat the 99ers netminder
over the glove giving the Sting the win tying the
series at one game each. Sarnia would score three of
its four goals on the power play as special teams
played a big role in this game.
Game three was back at the Gretzky Centre in
Brantford where emotions ran high in this contest as
flow to the game was hard to find as most of the
play was never even strength for most of this
contest. Brantford once again stuck first and held a
1-0 lead after the first period. Sarnia would even
things up at 1-1 early in the second. Brantford
again restored its one goal lead mid-way through a
penalty filled second period for a 2-1 lead. Sarnia
would respond late in the second on the power play
to tie things up at 2-2 heading in the final period.
The Sarnia team was given the instruction to stay
out of the box and stay disciplined for the third
period and it worked as the 99ers would rack up
eight penalties in the third to Sarnia’s one
penalty. This was the difference in the game as
Sarnia would score four goals in the third period
for a convincing 6-2 victory and giving the Sting a
two game to one advantage. Three of the four third
period goals came on the power play. This game seen
a combined total of 84 minutes in penalties setting
the stage for game four.
Game four was back in Sarnia where the Sting had the
opportunity to eliminate the 99ers. With a large
crowd on hand the Sting seemed nervous once again as
tape to tape pass’s seemed to be non-existent and
constant turnovers in their own end would prove to
be costly along with a new game plan by Brantford
which included them not playing as physical in this
contest and staying out of the penalty box in
realizing that Sarnia had scored eight of its eleven
series goals on the power play. Brantford….like
previous games once again scored the opening goal of
the game late in the first period and added a second
goal immediately after for a 2-0 lead at the end of
the first period. Sarnia would narrow the gap to 2-1
but less than a minute later the 99ers would restore
the two goal lead 3-1. Brantford would score the
only goal of the third period into an open net
giving them the win and tying this series up at two
games each sending this series back to Brantford for
the deciding game.
Game five was back at the Gretzky Arena, this was
the fourth game in five days for these two teams but
you couldn’t tell from the pace of the game as both
teams were skating and working hard with some bone
crushing hits to see who could take momentum in this
game. Brantford had more scoring chances than the
Sting in the opening period but neither team could
take the lead as the Sarnia team would weather the
storm in the first. Brantford true to its form in
the previous four games once again scored the first
goal of the game on a power play goal early in the
second period giving them a 1-0 lead. Both teams
continued to skate hard but momentum seemed to be
changing as the Sting would not go down without a
fight as they refused to back down to a much bigger
99ers team. Sarnia was finally rewarded with their
efforts as they were able to tie the game up at 1-1
late in the second period setting the stage for the
final period in this winner takes all game. Sarnia
took their game to the next level with a fast pace
tempo taking it to the 99ers as they were the
dominant team of the third but a missed Sting
breakaway and another open net opportunity seemed to
get away from the Sarnia squad being able to take
the lead or put the game away. Brantford had a
couple of scoring opportunities including a
breakaway of their own but a strong sliding pad save
from the Sting net minder would keep this game tied
at 1-1. With just three minutes left in the game and
the Sting hard on the fore-check, they were able to
cause a turnover in the 99ers zone, a quick heads up
pass would send a Sting player in alone as he would
make no mistake this time giving the Sting a 2-1
lead with about two and a half minutes remaining in
the game sending the Sting bench into a frenzy.
Sarnia kept up its fast aggressive skating play
keeping the 99ers pinned in their own zone keeping
them from pulling the goalie and applying any
pressure on the Sting in trying to tie the game up
as this one would end 2-1 for the Sting giving them
the series win three games to two.
The Minor Bantam’s have earned the right to move
onto the league semi-finals where they will take on
the league’s powerhouse team in the Hamilton Reps.
The Reps are a big, fast skating and very skilled
team which is why they have only lost three league
games all season and finished almost 20pts ahead of
second place and more than double the amount of the
Sting squad, Hamilton is considered one of the top
teams in Ontario in the AA class. The Sarnia Sting
Minor Bantam AA team looks forward to this challenge
as they will give the Reps all they can handle.
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@sarniasports.
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