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 The
Northern Vikings scored two in the third period
against the Chatham Kent Hawks to win their SWOSSAA
semi-finals match up 4-3 at the Clearwater Arena
Wednesday afternoon.
Northern
started the game off killing a powerplay, but were
able to keep the puck deep in the Hawks zone,
getting more opportunities then the Hawks. DJ Sapone
had two chances from the point, but the Hawks
goaltender, Devon Cove came up with two glove saves.
The Hawks
would get their own chance as Dylan Bell came in on
a breakaway, but his shot was put wide, but the
Vikings took a penalty on the play. On the ensuing
powerplay Derek Daly jammed at the puck at the side
of the net while Northern goalie Brandon Johnson
hugged the post. But Daly got the puck up and over
Johnson's shoulder and the Hawks took a 1-0 lead.
The
Vikings would come back and get their own chances as
Joel Vanvellar wasn't able to get a shot away in the
slot fast enough, and Cove made the kick save.
Northern would get its own chance on the powerplay
and Jace Felton would send snap shot on net that was
deflected by Brandon Burr into the net to tie the
game at 1-1.
Bell would
have another chance for the Hawks with a wide open
net, but his shot would go wide. That would prove
costly as Adam Lane would send a wrist shot from the
point that would beat a screened Cove and put the
Vikings up 2-1. But the lead did not last long as
Alec Miller would pop in another goal for the Hawks
and the first period would end tied 2-2.
In the
second, the Hawks would start with two penalties,
one being a ten minute major. Despite the advantage
and the action in the Hawks zone, the Vikings could
not put it passed Cove. Again it would be costly as
Chatham would put two hard shots on net, with the
second shot rebounding out onto the stick of Drew
Medd who stood with a wide open net and shot it
passed Johnson to restore the Hawks lead, 3-2.
Johnson
would redeem himself with a huge save on Bowe
Shepley beside the night, as the Vikings went into
the intermission down 3-2.
Coming
back out for the third, the Hawks almost made it a
two goal game as a shot beats Johnson, but can't
beat the inside of the post, as the puck manages to
stay out. Not being able to put the puck away on
good scoring chances would again cost a team in this
game as Ryan Dayman from the corner would find
Elliott Pecora in the slot who lets a quick shot go
that beat Cove high to tie the game at 3-3.
Under two
minutes later with a scramble in front of the net,
Cove would try to play the puck
 but
Dayman would beat him to it, and circle the net,
spotting Pecora again out front for his second of
the game to put the Vikings back in front 4-3.
Northern
would continue to put the pressure on the Hawks in
the third, and despite a late penalty by the
Vikings, and an empty net by the Hawks, the Vikings
managed to keep the puck out of their zone long
enough to let the clock tick down and take the 4-3
victory.
"Our boys
really came out to play in the third period," said
head coach Joe Bronzi after the game. "We didn't
really know what to expect from Chatham-Kent, we
were trying to get our bearings in the first couple
of periods."
But as
Bronzi said afterwards, the Vikings stuck to their
game play and how they have played all season long.
"Just simple basic hockey," Bronzi said about his
game plan. "Get the pucks in deep, get the feel of
the game first, get shots to the net."
Bronzi
insisted his team stick to the game plan after the
second intermission, which results in the Vikings
coming back and scoring two to take the victory.
The
Vikings will host the SWOSSAA finals next Wednesday
against a team from the Windsor area.
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