Playoff Game 2 vs. Saugeen Shores Storm 1
Game 2 of the playoffs would see Walkerton travel to Southampton on Feb 13, 2020
to play the Saugeen Shores Storm 1 team in what would again prove to be a very
even, and highly entertaining game.
Walkerton would open the scoring just 7 seconds into the game when Jacob Gridler fired a shot from just inside the blue line that would beat the Storm goalie after taking a pass from Conner McIntosh. The two teams would settle into a tight game were scoring chances would be hard to come by as much of the play would be conducted in the neutral zone between the blue lines, and scoring opportunities that did occur were controlled by the net minders or a strong defensive crew on both sides. Walkerton would add to it’s lead when Jacob Girdler recorded his second goal of the game with 1:23 remaining in the period after deking the goalie after making an end to end rush. Walkerton would hold a 2-0 lead after the first period.
The Capitals would increase it’s lead when Ryan Graul fired a wrist shot top corner with 10:27 remaining in the second, assisted by Tyler Wallace and Connor Farrell. Saugeen Shores would respond with a goal with just under 5 minutes remaining in the period and would continue to press in the Walkerton zone. It would be a 3-1 lead for Walkerton as the period ended.
The storm would come out quickly in the third and scored while on the power play, and then twenty seconds later and finally 1 1/2 minutes later to take the lead just four and a half minutes into the period. The teams would continue to battle back and forth as the game counted down, and Walkerton would pull even when Cayleb Pietz scored with just under 5 minutes left on the clock. Assisting on the goal were Tyler Wallace and Connor Farrell. The game would end in regulation in a 4-4 tie at the sound of the buzzer.
Once again it would be off to overtime. While both teams would would have decent scoring opportunities and each side would have a power play man advantage, neither side would be able to capitalize on the opportunity and the game would end in the 4-4 tie. Walkerton would come close and hold a good majority of the play in the overtime period both teams would skate away with a single point. Well played throughout the Capitals played hard along the boards and cycled the puck very well. They never gave up when they fell behind early in the third and came so close to pulling out the victory in overtime.