The first game of the WOAA Maroon Championship would take
place on March 21, 2024. The would be
played in Blyth after a coin toss and would feature the Walkerton Capitals
playing the Blyth-Brussels Crusaders. Both
teams would be the representatives of their respective divisions vying for the
overall championship title.
The game would start with both teams coming out of the gate
quickly and testing each others goaltenders.
Walkerton would take a slight edge during the first period with control
of possession time. The Capitals would open
the scoring when a shot from Keegan Batte at the blueline deflected off a Crusaders
defender and found the back of the net.
Walkerton would hold a 1-0 lead after the first period.
The second period and the two teams would continue with a
close and highly contested battle. The
Walkerton lead would increase when Chase Kaufman buried the puck after a
goalmouth scramble. The Crusaders would
score with just two minutes remaining in the period to cut the lead in half after
they seemed to take control over the later portion of the period. The Capitals would hold a 2-1 lead after two
periods of play completed and in the books.
The two goal lead would be restored early in the third
period when Marshall Odell scored on a wrist shot that beat the defenders and
the Blyth netminder. The Crusaders would
continue to battle and again would pull within a goal after scoring on a
goalmouth scramble. The Capitals would restore
their two goal lead yet again when Marshall Odell scored his second of the game
after tucking the puck past a maze of legs and sticks in front of the Blyth
net. The Capitals would settle in for a
defensive minded game, holding the Crusaders players to the boards and limiting
any chances from in close. Goaltender
Owen Waddell was called upon to make several keys saves down the stretch but
was more than up for the task with a great glove hand in the dying
minutes.
Game one of the championship series would go to Walkerton
with a 4-2 hard fought victory. The
teams were evenly matched throughout the game with the Capitals in the end
making the most of its opportunities.
They will need that hard work ethic when the teams face off against each
other in game two.
WALKERTON CAPITALS - 4
BLYTH-BRUSSELS CRUSADERS -
2