Listowel Novice LL Red narrowly lost its first playoff game with
the West Grey Warriors, 5-3, on Saturday.
Red opened the scoring in the middle of the first period as Finn Molenhuis neatly finished off a long pass from Oliver Hershey. However, the Warriors found their offense in the following frame, netting three goals in a span of three minutes.
Listowel came within one again before the period was out as Nehemiah Dyck wristed home a shot from the left dot, after some solid puck movement by linemates Molenhuis and Noah Hiemstra.
Using that momentum, Red tied the game on the next shift as Ruby Hillier chipped the puck out to the neutral zone which was picked up and taken to the net by Kole Schiestel and eventually buried by Spencer Henhoeffer.
Hillier’s hard work throughout the contest earned her Player of the Game honours.
Listowel’s defense kept the Warrior’s attack at bay for most of the game. The blueliners, made up of Grayson Matheson, Brynn Berfelz, Warner Hurst and Hershey, worked as a cohesive unit all game long and limited most West Grey chances.
Noah Szasz was his steady self, making several spectacular glove saves. Unfortunately a late rebound got away from him and ended up being the game winner. Red pulled the goalie and came close to tying the contest, but with seven seconds left, the Warriors capped the scoring with a long-range empty-netter.
Red has the day off on Sunday, but will return to the ice for a waltz in Wallace on Monday at 7pm.