That was playoff hockey! The intensity was high and both
teams were ready to battle and played to win. But only one team could claim the
two points and this Sunday it was the Wolves with a 4 to 3 win over the Brantford
99ers.
The win wasn’t the prettiest win, no question. It was a character win. It was a character opening goal by Cole Hunsberger who went to the net to put home a Jaxon Broda point shot with Matthew Ball also picking up an assist on the goal.
Headed into the 3rd period down a goal it was more character play with Ethan Wasylyshyn banging home a pretty Jackson Andrews assist and Michael Wei getting an assist on the goal as well. Then again, Ball winning another faceoff and Hunsberger giving it to Cooper Gaul who absolutely crushed the puck top shelf and showed his character stepping up when needed.
A lot of credit must go to the 99ers for tying the game up on a miscue play by the Wolves, but again you must acknowledge the character play of the Wolves response. After the miscued play all you could hear on the team’s bench was positive energy from the players that they would get it back and win the game. No finger pointing and blaming. Just the calm, determined confidence of leaders with character. And sure enough, Gaul got the puck to “Big Goal” Griffin Beddis and Wolves winning goal was in the net.
It was a game where the defenders needed to play tough and hit hard. Jackson McNichol made several heavy hits. Riley Webster is always feared out there, and Ben Yong was not shy laying his body on the line either. Jackson Deitz did a fantastic job head manning the puck out of the Wolves zone and gapping at the line.
It was Cole Ledgister and Hunter McMurdo who led the fore checking for the forwards and Declan Uniac punished 99ers all game. All in all, every player on the Wolves made sure their presence was felt in the game.
Getting back to character. How about character shown by the Wolves goalie Jack Driscoll. In the final minutes of the game Driscoll saved his best saves to keep the 99ers off the board and secure the win. Driscoll was not happy with the go-ahead goal in the second period but responded like a champion. When his teammates awarded him player of the game afterwards, he thanks his team for never giving up after that goal and supporting him.
That is character and that is what makes good teams great and helps teams win championships. The players learnt what it takes to win in the playoffs and the team is committed to putting in the required work to win.
Way to go Wolves!