Take two former rivals and amalgamate them into one team and
you have what the Capitals faced on December 15, 2023. The newly formed Saugeen Valley Steelheads
(formerly Hanover and West Grey) came to Walkerton to play the Capitals. The teams would play a very tight game that
would feature great scoring opportunities, outstanding goaltending from the two
netminders and countless players sacrificing themselves by blocking shots.
The Capitals would open the scoring just over a minute into
the game when Kyle Graul fired a wrist shot just under the crossbar. Walkerton would continue to press and would
score with just under six minutes remaining when Niklas Howald fired a low shot
from the top of the faceoff circle that beat the Saugeen Valley netminder. The Steelheads would respond just fourteen
seconds later and score after a goalmouth scramble. The two teams battled back and forth and
Walkerton would score when Chase Kaufman fired a shot into the back of the
net. The Steelheads would again waste little
time before they scored again to cut into the Walkerton lead of 3-2 after the
first fifteen minutes.
The second period would more back and forth hockey and both
goalies made some incredible saves.
Saugeen Steelheads would score and tie the game with just under ten
minutes remaining. The game would see
both teams continue to play hard and Walkerton would ring several pucks off the
goalpost before Luka Abell fired a shot that sailed over the shoulder of the
Saugeen goaltender into the top corner. Colby
Schmidt would get the assist on the goal and Walkerton would lead 4-3 after two
periods in the books.
The third period and the action would only intensify. Walkerton’s Travis Goll would take a stretch
pass from Matthew McNaught and go in on a breakaway before firing over the
glove hand of the Saugeen goaltender. The
Steelheads would continue to press and it would be their turn to hit goalposts
and a crossbar. Several Capitals’
defencemen would find themselves blocking shots and diving in front of other
shots to help out their goaltender. The
Steelheads would score with 2:31 remaining to play to pull within a goal, and
with time ticking away would pull their goaltender for an extra attacker. While Walkerton would hold possession for
much of the last two minutes they were unable to score as it was now the Steelheads
who would be sacrificing the body by blocking shots to protect their empty
net.
The Capitals would go on to win 5-4 and what was a seesaw
battle the two teams fought right to the final whistle and both sides played
hard strong hockey throughout. The game
was continuous action and the crowd in attendance was treated to a game they
won’t forget any time soon.
SAUGEEN STEELHEADS
- 4
WALKERTON CAPITALS
- 5