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The
St. Clair Colts have ended the 9 year run of the
LCCVI Lancers going to the Lambton Cup with a 3-2
double overtime victory Thursday afternoon at
Clearwater Arena.
 Both
teams jumped
out at the start of the game looking for that first
go ahead goal. After both teams took penalties, it
wouldn't take St. Clair long to use the extra open
ice as Denver Spearman came down on a 2 on
1 with Sean Smith. Spearman fed the puck to Smith
who wristed it passed Brad Jacklin to make it 1-0
for the Colts.
But that
lead didn't last long as the Colts had troubles
clearing the puck from their own zone which proved
to be costly, as a scramble out front of the
net ended up on Travis Rops stick at the side of the
crease who puts it passed Seth Hellinga to tie the
game up at 1-1.
Both teams
would then get their chances putting the puck on
net, as St. Clair would shoot wide, while a cough up
in the Colts zone allowed the Lancers three good
opportunities but Hellinga was there to make the save.
Kalen Hellinga would have a chance to give his
brother a cushion but his shot ripped high of the
net. Dallas Fraser also had a chance for LCCVI but
he to ripped a shot wide of the net . The final
chance of the period was the Colts Spearman look for
another point, but his spin pass cannot be handled
and the Colts miss out on a 2 on 1 chance at the end
of the first period.
In the
second period the Colts continue to look for the go
ahead goal. Matt Ward was parked in front of the
net, but Jacklin made a magnificent
save,
diving across to get his stick on the puck. But it
wouldn't take long for the Colts efforts to finally
pay off, as Travis Crawford from behind the net
finds Sean Smith out front for his second of the
game as his shot is buried passed Jacklin to put the
Colts back up 2-1.
But just
like before, it didn't take the Lancers long to get
back into the game and tie things up as the puck is
left in front of the net on another scramble and
Scott Park was there to put in the loose puck to tie
it up at 2-2.
Both teams
again couldn't solve the goalies for the rest of the
period and they went into the locker room tied 2-2.
Coming out
for the third, the goalies gave their best
performance. Hellinga made a huge kick save on
Cullen Hunter, while also making a huge diving stop
to keep the game tie.
Back the
other way Dan Hachey had two chances on Jacklin,
collecting his own rebound, but his shots were both
stopped, as Jacklin comes up big with the pad.
Hellinga would make it with a save on a slap shot
from the point and big kick save on the rebound as
this game needed an extra time, as neither team
could score in the third.
In the
first overtime period St. Clair took a high sticking
penalty and on the powerplay the Lancers would work
it to the point where a shot would hit both the post
and cross bar but bounce out of the net.
In what
could be the save of the year, Jacklin came out to
play the puck and cleared it into the two oncoming
players. Matt Ward had the puck on his stick with a
wide open net but Connor McKinnon made an amazing
dive back into the net to stop the puck from
crossing the goal line.
The game
would need a second overtime period.
In the
second overtime period Hellinga would come up with
another big kick save. Off the save the Colts would
bring it back down the ice on a fast break and catch
the Lancers as Karsten Berg and Spearman came in.
Berg fed the puck over to Spearman who back handed
it passed Jacklin over his glove for the game
winner.
With the
victory the Colts will now take on the Northern
Vikings who defeated St. Christopher's Tuesday in
the finals for the Lambton Cup. This also snaps the
9 years streak of LCCVI being in the Lambton Cup
finals.
The
Lambton Cup will be played on Wednesday, February
23rd at the Sarnia Arena.
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