Playoff Game 7 vs. Hanover Falcons
The two rivals would again face off in a hard fought closely contested battle as
the Capitals would travel highway #4 over the Hanover to play the Falcons in the
second of a home and home series.
The two teams would battle from the opening faceoff and test each others goalies often in the first several moments of the period, again the goalies would be the stars early making several outstanding saves. Walkerton would open the scoring with just over 5 1/2 minutes remaining in the first when Jack Walter jumped on a loose puck before burying it to the back of the net. Assisting on the goal were Cayleb Peitz and Colby Schmidt. Hanover would tie the game a few moments later and the period would end with the teams knotted at 1-1.
The second period and the teams would continue to battle along the boards and in the corners, Hanover would take the lead while on the power play. Walkerton would come close but in the end were unable to get the puck over the goal line despite several valiant attempts. Hanover would hold a 2-1 lead after two periods in the books.
Walkerton would come out strong in the third and be rewarded when Tyler Wallace scored after taking a pass from Conner McIntosh to tie the game with just under 8 minutes to play. The Capitals would force the play in the Hanover end and take the lead when Xander Thornton fired a slap shot from just inside the blue line that would deflect off a Hanover player before finding the back of the net. The tables quickly turned in the final 3 minutes as the Falcons scored twice in a 11 second span to not only tie the game but to take the lead. Walkerton refused to give up and while killing a double minor penalty in the final minute would ring a shot off the crossbar after the shot beat the glove hand of the Hanover net minder. Hanover would take the game 4-3 but the Capitals were in the game right to the final buzzer.