The Walkerton Capitals would play its tenth and final game of
the 2024 Maroon North Championship on March 17, 2024 (St. Patrick’s Day). Hoping for some luck of the Irish a win would
send the Capitals onto the Maroon finals, but a loss and their fate would rest
on tomorrow’s evening game between Kincardine and Huron-Bruce Blizzard
Grey. The first meeting between
Walkerton and Huron-Bruce was decided in overtime and the Capitals were hoping
it wouldn’t go that far, and that a win in regulation would be their gold at the
end of the rainbow.
The two teams would come out full force to start the game
and would test the goalies with several really tough shots but the netminders
were up to the task. After the first fifteen
minutes the game remained scoreless.
The second period and Walkerton would come out early and be
rewarded when Chase Kaufman found the back of the net. Assisting on the goal were Spencer Odell and
Logan Anness. The Capitals would be
awarded a penalty shot after a Blizzard player covered the puck with his hand
in the crease, unfortunately the attempt was unsuccessful. Walkerton would increase its lead, however,
when Kyle Graul scored on the powerplay with a wrap around from behind the
net. The pressure would continue by the
Capitals and Kyle Graul would pick up his second goal after picking up a loose
puck and tucking it past the Blizzard netminder. Walkerton would then score its fourth of the
period when Spencer Odell scored on a hard wrist shot. The Capitals held a 4-0 lead after two
periods of play.
The third period would see no let up in either team,
Huron-Bruce would score early in the period and continue to apply
pressure. Walkerton would respond a few
minutes later when a slap shot from Luka Abell found the back of the net after
his shot came from just inside the blueline.
Logan Anness and Spencer Odell would pick up helpers on the goal. The Blizzard refused to backdown and would
score with just under four and a half minutes remaining while on the
powerplay. The Capitals would then score
less than a minute later when Travis Goll fired a shot that squeezed between
the goalie’s arm and body and just crossed the goal line. Assisting on the play was Colby Schmidt.
The Capitals would go on to win 6-2 and thus clinch the
North Division Championship and will now wait to see who comes out of the South
Division. The boys played a disciplined game
and for the most part stayed out of the penalty box and away from retaliation calls. The passing was on target and the cycling of
the puck kept the opposition team chasing the puck for most of the game.
WALKERTON CAPITALS
- 6
HURON-BRUCE BLIZZARD GREY - 2