Game 18 vs. Bruce Peninsula Northstars Red
The final game of the regular season would see The Capitals travel north to
Lions Head to play the Bruce Peninsula Northstars Red on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020 .
Walkerton would be several players short for the game and Ryan Graul would get
the start in net.
The second period would again feature some great rushes from the two teams. Cayleb Pietz would score his second of the game when he went five hole on the Northstars goalie after breaking in alone. Bruce Peninsula would continue to press in the Walkerton end and would score twice in a minute span to tie the game. The action was non stop and Walkerton’s Austin Cormack would restore the Capitals lead after jumping on a loose puck in the slot area, and going top corner, assisting on the play was Conner Farrell. Bruce Peninsula would score in the final minute of the period while on the power play man advantage, to knot the score at 3-3 after two periods of play.
During the third period the teams continued at a feverous pace. Both goalies would make some great saves to keep the game tight. The Northstars would take the lead only 10 seconds into the period. Walkerton would make several strong rushes in the Bruce Pen. zone but would be continue to trail until Austin Cormack fired a shot from just inside the blue line that bounced just in front of the goalie and found the back of the net for his second of the game. The Capitals would take the lead again with just over 4 minutes remaining when Cayleb Pietz completed the hat trick after beating the goalie stick side. The lead would last until the final minute of the game when the Northstars would fire a high wrist shot to tie the score yet again. As the final buzzer sounded things heated up between those on the ice with a scrum occurring but in the end cooler heads would prevail.
A exciting game to watch, the two teams played hard from the opening faceoff to the final buzzer. Ryan Graul was very strong in net, making several great saves in the final seconds to preserve the tie. The game could have gone either way had it not been for the work of the two young men in the nets. The forwards were moving the puck well and again the defense worked hard in their own end clearing rebounds from in front of the net.