The Power Workers Union Local League Bantams have used the momentum from their big shutout win to finish the regular season and kept on rolling, racking up a 5 straight win record. In round robin play off play Walkerton has recorded 4 straight wins making a strong bid to finish on top of their section.
Walkerton took a shaky 7-5 win over Chatsworth on the weekend into their February 24th home game against the Saugeen Shores Storm.
During the first period much of the play was in the Storm’s end. Walkerton peppered the Storm’s goaltender with shots but not a one could find its way out. Stellar fore-checking by Ryan Y, Tyler G and Matt M stymied a number of Saugeen Shores attempts to break through the neutral zone. Walkerton’s goalie Reed L really had to be sharp with little action and then a sudden flurry of shots and he was certainly more than up to the task. With the period winding down Liam R stopped a clearing attempt by the Storm, dumped the puck into the Storm’s corner to Ryan Y. Ryan Y then fed the puck to Tyler G who sent it home.
With the 2nd period well underway Saugeen Shores showed why they are such a tough opponent by turning the tables and spending much of the time in the Walkerton end. Reed L was standing strong, but a bad bounce hit a leg in front of the net and just trickled by to tie the game back up.
Stung, Walkerton took charge with some great defensive play by Stephen P, Brayden D, Luke Z and Liam R and the game again returned to the Storm end. At the midpoint in the period Matt L took the puck away from a Storm defender along the boards and after a couple of nifty moves made a bee line pass to Austin H. Austin made no mistake by threading a beautiful shot past the Storm goalie and finding nothing but net.
A minute later though Saugeen Shores took advantage of a Walkerton miscue and sent the puck home on a shot that was just too hot to handle, into the tiniest hole, tying the game at two.
Walkerton in their never give up style began again to sting the Storm’s goalie with drive after drive to the net. Walkerton’s Mark W, Isaac E and Tyler P came close but just couldn’t get by the strong goaltending of the Storm.
Things started to look bleak for Walkerton after a couple of penalty calls saw them facing a 5 on 3 powerplay for over a minute and twenty seconds. Off a centre ice face off Matt L won the draw and took the puck around the Storm’s team. Getting in alone L moved the goalie from side to side with a couple of nice dekes and shoved the puck home hard, giving Walkerton the 3-2 lead.
Walkerton never looked back and kept the play in the Storm end, never giving them the chance to bring on the extra attacker. This was an impressive win for the Walkerton boys who demonstrated to themselves that teamwork and working hard are the secrets to success in playoff hockey.