Bantam’s Suffer Tough 1st Loss in Dover Final, News, Bantam Rep, U15, 2012-2013 (Listowel Minor Hockey Association)

The Bantam’s reached the finals in Port Dover but lost a hard fought game 2-1 in overtime to Elmvale.

The weekend saw the Cycs face-off against Lambton Shores on Friday, and not sure if it was nerves or the long drive but the young team came out flat. If not for some solid goaltending by Braeden Ellis the locals could have been down by a few goals early. However in the 2^nd period Cole McKee opened the scoring as he tuck home an errant shot. The Predators would tie the game in the 2^nd then take the lead mid-way through the 3^rd. Bryce Fletcher would tie the game for the Cycs as he buried a rebound (McKee & Reese Johnson assisting). That would be all the scoring ith the game ending in a 2-2 tie.

Next day the Cycs came out much more rested and their effort showed it as from the drop of the puck they took the play to the Ayr Flames.  Johnson opened the scoring early in the 1^st period with Ben Rothwell drawing the assist. Ayr would tie the game on a strange bounce late in the 1^st but undaunted the Listowel lads would regain the lead in the 2^nd when Fletcher would convert the Derek Fischer pass. Ayr would tie the game again late in the 2^nd as the Cycs ran into some penalty troubles but once they expired the momentum would again swing in favour of the Cycs.  Johnson would complete the hat-trick scoring twice in the 3^rd (Bailey Matheson & Fletcher assisting) giving Listowel the 4-2 victory.

Game 3 was early on Sunday morning against Paris and a win or tie would send the Cycs to the finals. The Wolfpack would open the scoring in the 1^st as the Cycs struggled to find their game, but as the 1^st period came to an end the momentum was beginning to swing. Will Calder would tie the game in the 2^nd period (Johnson assisting) then McKee would bury a breakaway in the 3^rd giving the Cycs the 2-1 victory and a date in the finals.

 With a few hours rest the Cycs would face the Elmvale Coyotes in what was a close checking affair. The well rested Coyotes (hadn’t played yet on Sunday) generated more scoring chances but Cycs tender Jacob Nethercott was up to the challenge keeping the game scoreless through 2 periods. Mid-way through the 3^rd Fletcher would put the Cycs up as his shot eluded the Elmvale goalie (Calder, Rothwell assisting). Elmvale continued to press & would get the equalizer a minute later. There was no more scoring in the 3^rd so it was off to a 5 minute overtime. The local lads had the 1^st chance just seconds into the frame but couldn’t convert and then with just over a minute remaining Elmvale would slide home the winner on a goalmouth scramble handing the Cycs their 1^st loss of the season.

Despite the loss there were many positives taken from the weekend and with the season still very young there are lots of possibilities yet to come.