Apr 01, 2018 | GeoffRead | 1140 views
KnightHawks Drop 2-1 Decision in Thrilling Final
The KnightHawks brought their A game to their final against Bandits 23 as did their opponents. The result was an exciting final match that like the semifinals went down to the final seconds. Unfortunately, this time the result didn't favour the KnightHawks as they went down 2-1 to a game Bandits squad.
The KnightHawks played just like they did in their semifinal game, working hard on the forecheck and backcheck and generating quite a few scoring chances. Moreover, the team heeded Coach Liam Walsh's message to move the puck up ice more cleanly and quickly by headmanning the disc to open teammates.
Centre Kaelan Walsh started the game and injected energy into the KnightHawks' play from the drop of the puck. He set an example for his teammates hustling all over the ice, causing turnovers, putting pressure on the Bandits' D, and helping out his defence with strong backchecking efforts.
Walsh's linemates on that first shift were Connor Devlin and Troy Price likewise played their best. Devlin was passing the puck well as he has been for the past few weeks and Price emulated Walsh, scrapping, hustling, digging, and winning puck battles.
The second shift featured Jack Peterkin between Sam Schafer and Zoe Read. Peterkin was all over the ice, distributing the puck and generating scoring chances. Schafer was digging, working, and scrabbling for the puck and got a couple of chances out front. Read was her usual scrappy self at both ends of the ice and also drove to the net a couple of times nearly scoring on both occasions.
The final duo up front was James Nielsen and Owen Askew. Nielsen continued his strong two-way play breaking up plays in the defensive end and creating chances in the offensive zone. Askew showed flashes of his knack for the net but couldn't break through for a goal in this game.
On the back end, the defensive corps had a few wobbles but it wasn't for a lack of effort. Aiden Hayes broke up multiple odd man rushes by funnelling the Bandits to the outside and then stripping them of the puck. Brandon Miles was all over the ice reading the play well and cutting the Bandits off as they tried to move forward. Gregory Nicolis played his usual steady game and chipped the puck up the boards to his teammates with authority. Anderson Watt played the right side, moved the puck efficiently, and covered well for his defence partners when they got caught out of position. Finally, Paul Steele put out maximum effort outmuscling the Bandits for pucks and keeping it simple advancing the puck towards the Bandits' end.
In goal, the Little Wall (when he's in net) of Hate, Kayden Keating made multiple good stops, including stymieing one breakaway in the first period and another hard shot from the right face-off circle off a giveaway in the third. Crucially, on the latter play Keating controlled his rebound as a Bandits' forward was there ready to pounce.
The course of the game was as follows. The KnightHawks, as they did in the semifinals, carried the play for most (though not all) of the game. They generated a lot of chances but had trouble getting the puck past the Bandits' netminder Josh Purtill, who surely was the MVP of the final. The KnightHawks' inability to get the puck up cost them in this one as Read, Nielsen, Askew, Devlin, Walsh, Peterkin, Price, and Schafer all had chances to score but couldn't convert them, as they all fired low rather than high.
The sole exception on the afternoon, notably, came off the stick of Peterkin who took a feed from Schafer and moved to the middle of the ice and shot the puck over the glove (I think it was) of the Bandits' goalie. This goal came midway through the second and for a long time it looked like it might stand up.
But halfway through the third, the Bandits, on a power play, outnumbered the KnightHawks in front of the net and put a rebound past Keating to tie the game.
The KnightHawks' best chance to go back ahead came a couple of minutes later when a Bandits' player hauled down Price as he drove hard to the net. Price was awarded a penalty shot.
You could have cut the tension in the arena with a knife.
Price gathered the puck at centre and skated in fast.
At about the face-off circle though he paused and may have tipped his hand a little that he was going to shoot.
He let the shot fly.
The Bandits' goalie got a piece of Price's shot but it got behind him nonetheless, hit the post, and, according to the referee at least, dropped near the goal-line and trickled across it without going in.
Unfortunately, then with just over a minute to go the puck went into the KnightHawks' zone. The play appeared harmless but the KnightHawks' defence took the puck around the net and then tried to stickhandle around two Bandits forecheckers who stole the puck, went in alone on Keating, and scored.
The KnigthHawks pulled their goalie and generated a couple more chances in the final minute of the game but couldn't cash them in. The Bandits finally cleared their zone and got the puck deep in the KnightHawks' end with about 10 seconds to go and that, sadly, was that.
The refereeing in the game was OK but a little inconsistent. The penalty against Price that led to the game tying goal was a borderline call, on the kind of play that had gone uncalled repeatedly in both directions.
But the disappointing loss in the final should not diminish an excellent, exciting, and fun season for the KnightHawks. They gelled as a team, improved their individual and team play, and stuck together through thick and thin.
Some statistical notes from the end of the season. James Nielsen won the team's Rocket Richard Award, scoring 27 goals, and also led the team with 36 points.
Zoe Read finished with 16 assists to lead the team.
Goalies Kayden Keating and Kaelan Walsh both had strong statistical seasons, as Keating posted a goals against average of 2.03 and Walsh recorded a mark of 2.45. Clearly, the KnightHawks got good goaltending throughout the season and the goaltenders' records also reflect how well the five defencemen played and the help they got from their forwards. The KnightHawks were an excellent defensive team by the season's end.
But the most compelling statistical battle at the end of the season was for the Tiger Williams Award, as Greg the Impaler Nicolis fought off challenges from Zoe Showtime Read and Connor the Scottish Devil Devlin. Neither Read nor Devlin added to their penalty minute totals in the final and Nicolis' #1 position seemed secure. Price got a penalty but that put him at the four minute mark - tied with Read and Devlin and two minutes shy of Nicolis.
But out of nowhere, Owen Askew took a penalty for hooking and another for bodychecking to surge to 6 minutes meaning that he and Nicolis tied with 6 minutes in penalties. We may need to have a wrestling match or some other way to select the winner at the team's season ending party.
Great season KnightHawks.
Go KnightHawks go!