DRAYTON 3 – COMMUNITY 1
Community pressed hard into the first period but it was Drayton that was rewarded with the first goal.
Robyn Curry started the play along the left boards with a pass to Eric Dekkers. Dekkers went to the net and slipped a pass across to Mark Timmerman, who rang the puck underneath the crossbar before netminder Chris Stevens could get across to cover.
Community tied the game in the second period. Delmer Frey gained the puck along the boards and sent Trent Lutz rushing in over the blue line. Lutz rifled a shot off the pads of netminder Kevin Ottens and Kevin Gingrich snapped the rebound into the net.
Drayton regained the lead in the third period. Timmerman started the play with a pass to Dekkers at the left face-off circle. Dekkers held on to the puck and drifted a pass to Pat Landman, who blasted a rising slap shot over the shoulder of Stevens for the goal.
Community pulled their netminder in the final minute of the play. But the extra skater didn’t help. A face-off scramble saw Brandon Rumph send the puck rolling into the empty net.
The win gives Drayton a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three A Division semi-finals.
FLORADALE 4 – BETHEL 2
This tightly-fought game resulted in the opening goal late in the first period. Javon Martin picked up a loose puck in front of the Bethel net and knifed a shot behind Derek Wideman for the Floradale goal.
Floradale added a goal late in the second period. Javon Martin won the face-off to send Ryan Weber in on net. Weber deked the netminder to slip the puck into the open corner.
Floradale added their third goal to start off the final period. Netminder Jason Newton cleared the puck to Ryan Weber, who skated around behind the net and sliced a backhander in for the goal.
Bethel edged into the game shortly after. Matt Smith drove the puck to the net and Derek Frey sent the rebound behind Newton for the goal.
Tough forechecking by Javon Martin brought the puck to the Bethel net once again. The scramble that followed saw Ryan Weber poke the puck into the open corner. Assisted also by Josh Brohman.
Bethel refused to quit however, and came back with a goal. Jim Wideman and Mike Veens sent MacKenzie Bauman through the neutral zone with the puck. Bauman split the defence and rifled a slap shot to the back of the net.
However the goal was too little, too late.
The win gives Floradale the 1-0 lead in their best-of-three A Division semi-finals.
LISTOWEL 6 – MISSIONARY 5 (4th OT)
Missionary struck for two quick goals midway through the first period. Dave Scholten set up Ryan Roth along the right side boards. Roth drifted forward and snapped a shot in on the short side.
A minute later Steve Slot teed up Dennis Gleeson, who rifled a slap shot to beat Charlie Wagler in the Listowel net.
Missionary added a powerplay goal early in the second period. Bryan Deen set up Paul Vandenberg with the puck deep in the right corner. Vandenberg circled around the back of the net and rifled a shot in the short side.
Listowel came back with two quick goals. Curtis Wagler and Trevor Streicher set up Travis Kuepfer in front of the net. Kuepfer sent a screened shot into the net for the goal.
A minute later Kuepfer worked with Ray Jantzi to create a short handed scramble at the net. Curtis Wagler finished the play with a shot into the net.
Missionary came back to build back their lead. Steve Slot set up Dave Scholten in the slot. Scholten snapped a low shot along the ice for the goal.
Listowel responded with a powerplay goal. Kuepfer and Lowell Weber teed up Max Brubacher at the point. Brubacher blasted a shot through the crowd for the goal.
Listowel tied the game in the third period with another shorthanded rush. Ray Jantzi cleared the puck to Josh Shantz along the right boards. Shantz raced down the ice for a break away and snapped the puck into the top corner for the goal.
Missionary took advantage of a powerplay late in the game to regain the lead. Steve Slot and Matt Duff created a scramble at the net and Scott Vandenberg poked the puck past a sprawling Charlie Wagler in net.
With only 10 seconds left Listowel stormed the Missionary net. Josh Shantz and Max Brubacher circled the puck around the net and Trevor Streicher snapped the puck into the corner to send the game into sudden death overtime.
The was not decided until the fourth overtime period. Then a quick pass by Phil Shantz gave Josh Shantz a shot into the high corner for win, giving Listowel a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three B Division semi finals.
submitted by Wilard Metzger
