Jace
Dupuis didn't think he was the right person to be
out on the ice during the second overtime period.
"I am not
the most skilled player on the team, but I do my
best," Dupuis said. But the Petrolia Oilers captain
had the skills needed to end a four period long
scoring drought and capture the Midget A Siler Stick
championship for the Oilers, as they defeated the
Whitby Wildcats 2-1 in double overtime.
Dupuis got
a pass from Josh Mckinnon just inside the blue line
and let a slap shot sail passed Dave Podesta into
the top right of the net.
`The feed
came over and I wanted to get a shot on net," said
Dupuis after the game. "And it went in. I felt
pretty great after."
The Oilers
didn't feel to great when the game first started, as
the Wildcats stormed out of the gate and scored just
tweleve seconds into the period. Derek Hoey picked
up a rebound off Spencer Krall`s pads and put it
into the wide open net. But the Oilers didn't panic,
but rather responded back, as a minute later
Jonathan Wagenaar fed a pass to Cullent Hunter from
behind the net, and Hunter put it passed Podesta to
tie the game at one.
It
remained that way till 1:51 of the second overtime
period when Dupuis scored the game winner.
Both
goalies locked in down and kept the puck from
crossing the line. And both teams had their chances.
Mckinnon had a chance to score in the first but his
shot trickled just wide of the net. Coming back the
other way Keven MacAuley had a scoring chance, but
couldn't find the handle of the puck to get it past
Krall.
Krall
would start the second period with two big saves in
close, while the Oilers had a 3 on 1 chance, but
Hunter shot the puck wide of the net. The back and
forth action lasted long into the third period and
first overtime as each team had chance after chance
to break the tie, but neither could find the back of
the net.
But Dupuis
goal capped off an amazing weekend for the Oilers,
as they went a perfect 5-0 in the tournament,
including 3-0 in round robin play and a 4-0 victory
over the Bradford Bulldogs in the semi-final match
up at 7:00a.m. Sunday morning.
"I
think we earned it really. We came out, played hard
every game and I think we were the team to win,"
Dupuis said. "There is just no better feeling then
winning Silver Stick.`
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