You would think it was a play-off game. Sunday night the Mistatim Warriors were in town to play the Ramblers. Tisdale's team is leading the league with nine wins and two loses this season and the Warriors have won one game so no one was expecting the game to turn out as it did. But this year the Pasquia League is very evenly matched and any given night can see any team beat another.
The game saw the Warriors matching the fast skating Ramblers and taking and delivering quality checks while there were few penalties in the first two periods and the Ramblers received eight penalties in the whole game while the Warriors picked up twelve. The action was back and forth with scoring plays coming for each team every shift.
The Ramblers got on the score board first with two goals in the first period scored by Colin Marshall and Scott Kearns but after each goal the Warriors came right back with a tying goal and the period ended with the Warriors ahead 3-2 with two goals by Blair Curry and one by Derrick Sekinger.
The story in the second was pretty much the same as Jeff Trombley, the Warrior's goalie did everything including standing on his head to keep the Ramblers combination scoring plays out of the net. Scott Homstol of Tisdale was possessed during the second period and brought down attack after attack but Trombley met each challenge.
Colin Marshall, Shane Magnus and Al Leblanc each scored for Tisdale in the second as the score continued to be one up tie, one up and so on with Jay Maynard, and Rudi Bettnel scoring for the Warriors and the period ended with the Warriors still ahead by one 6-5.
The pace of the third period did not slacken one bit as both teams just kept on skating and skating. Chad Olson who was late for the game was into the third period and gave the Ramblers some new life as he picked up two assists goals were scored by Brad Kirkland, Pet McAvoy and Scott Homstol who scored the goal that put the Ramblers ahead with 6:49 left in the period then for the fifth time in the game Blair Curry scored the tying goal to end the third eight all. Curry both Warrior goals in the third, at least three of his goals were break away solo events.
Mid way through the second period after having kept the team in the game and letting in five goals Jeff Trombley came out of the Warrior net and Keith Bechewski held the Ramblers to three more goals. Shots on net throughout the game were pretty much even but it was decidedly an offensive style of game and tough on goalies. Jon Hamlin (right) played in net for the whole game for the Ramblers and was looking good right up until Curry broke loose with 4:54 left in the overtime period and the Warriors won 9 - 8.
However, the game had some moments that were utterly amazing. At the start of the third period with the Ramblers shorted handed, Jeff Farber had been ejected from the game for cross checking and a gross misconduct and Shane Magnus for slashing. With three skaters to five Brad Kirkland took a pass from Chad Olson and scored.
The Warriors also scored a short handed goal when Curry scurried out of his end and he definitely had Jon Hamlin's number last night.
It was truly one of those great games and we have more coming to Tisdale as this coming weekend starting with a skills competition at 5:00 Saturday is the league's All Star game. But the game to watch for will be next Friday night in Mistatim when the Ramblers will be there to prove a point.
For pictures of last night's game click here to go to the Second Page.