Jan 13, 2019 | Melanie Jespersen | 348 views
Tier 1 Begins for Minor Bantam White
The Wolves took to the road for this first game of the new year to begin their playoff season against the Brantford 99ers. It had been a long stretch for the Wolves without a game, and they would need to step up their game to ensure they maintained the first place position.
Possibly a little rusty, Waterloo took to the ice against Brantford, who certainly came out strong with some aggressive play. The first period was a back and forth game as both teams chipped over the blue line to attack the net. Waterloo had some great chances on goal. Anderson, #66, used his size to get past the 99ers defence while #7 Williams used his speed to rush the net. Equally impressive, #10 Mervyn, was quick and adaptable, moving the puck around well from both a defensive and offensive position. During the second period Brantford was able to get past all lines of defence and placed two goals into the Wolves net. The battle out in front was tight for our goalie, #31 B. McLeod, as it seemed like a gathering in the crease, and no whistle to stop the play. The Wolves would need to dig deeper, battle harder, and not perseverate over past calls, to get themselves on the score board. After a motivational team chat between periods, Waterloo seemed to find some extra drive and grit going into the third period. Miller #3 worked to win the face offs, while #9 Rudolph defended the blue line like it was his life line. Wolfe #55, looked like he was setting a screen on the basketball court and took the charge, causing the Brantford player to drop like a stone, allowing the Wolves to gain possession of the puck. Mervyn #10 was NOT going to go home with a zero on the scoreboard for Waterloo. With an assist from #5 Tieges, in the dying seconds, found a hole in the goalies defence and snuck the puck in. With a score of 2-1 the Wolves would need to decide: pull our goalie for a 6 on 5 or stay even for the remaining nineteen seconds on the clock. As the puck dropped, B. McLeod rushed to the bench as a fourth forward took to the ice. But it wasn't meant to be for the Wolves. With a final score of 2-1 for Brantford, Waterloo would need to regroup for their next game against Waterloo Black.