MISSIONARY 4 – COMMUNITY 2
Game one of a best-of-three ‘B’ Division final series is an important game to claim. So Missionary struck early for a goal from the opening faceoff. A crisp pass by Curtis Bults gave Pat Landman an easy shot into the open corner.
Community responded with a goal in the dying minute of the period. Graham Wideman fired the puck on net and Ryco Martin buried the rebound.
Missionary took the lead with a powerplay goal in the second. Landman fed the puck to the point and Devin McGuire drove it to the back of the net with a blistering slapshot.
Community battled back and was finally rewarded midway through the third period. Kevin Gingrich and Tony Martin moved the puck around the net and John Horst finished the play with the goal.
However Missionary’s Dustin Bults exploded with two quick goals in response. A nifty setup by Landman and Curtis Bults opened up the corner for the first goal. Seconds later Curtis Bults set up Dustin again for a wrist shot over a scrambling net-minder.
DRAYTON 9 – FLORADALE 4
With game one in the win column for Floradale they came into this game of the best-of-five A Division finals feeling confident. But Drayton claimed the bragging rights to this game.
An early rush gave Floradale a first period lead. A nice drop pass by Ryan Martin gave Dan Martin the puck at the bottom of the left face-off circle. Martin waited until a hole opened up and rang the puck under the crossbar. Braedon Gingrich also assisted.
Drayton tied the game midway through the period. A scramble at the net ended with Eric Decker depositing the puck in the back of the net. Rob DeWeerd and Herman Mulder assisted. The trio scored again shortly after to give Drayton the lead. A nice feed by Decker gave DeWeerd the puck as he went to the net. A quick shot through the five hole gave Drayton the lead.
But Floradale responded quickly to tie up the game. Gary Martin turned the passes of Corey Wideman and Javon Martin into a breakaway, deked to his right and knifed the puck into the left corner.
A Drayton powerplay in the dying minute of the period gave them the lead once again. Jason Mohle played tough in front of the net to flip the puck over a sprawling goaltender, assisted by Brandon Rumph.
A delayed penalty gave Floradale the edge to open the second with the tying goal. Floradale stormed the net and Ryan Weber poked the puck behind the goaltender. Dan Martin and Josh Brohman assisted.
Another Drayton powerplay gave them a goal to climb back on top. Defence pair Scott Nieuwland and Mike DeWeerd teed up Mark Scholten. Scholten blasted a shot high into the air and it bounced behind the goaltender.
Drayton finally scored the elusive insurance goal late in the period. A hard wrist shot by Cam Mohle from in front of the net earned him the goal. Jason Mohle assisted.
With the insurance goal in place Drayton strengthened their lead further with a powerplay. A blistering slap shot by Joe Heenan drilled the puck into the top corner, assisted by Rumph and Decker.
Any hope of a third period comeback was erased with a Drayton powerplay goal in the opening minute of play. A slap shot by Rumph sent the puck to the back of the net, assisted by Brad Bakker.
Although Corey Wideman scored a powerplay goal for Floradale, two more goals by Drayton completed the rout. Decker and Mulder scored the goals, each assisting the other. Assists were also earned by Rob DeWeerd and Scott Nieuwland.
Kevin Ottens was kept busy in the Drayton net facing 48 shots, while Jason Newton faced 28 shots in the Floradale net.
The win evens the ‘A’ Division Nichols final series at one game apiece.
