Win One and Get at least 2 More

After two gruelling games, the Osprey and Aurora were both sitting just one win away from a spot in the finals against the Eurekas.

As often happens in a series, even a short one, the tension grows with each game, and following a 1-0 win for the Osprey and then a 3-2 shootout victory for Aurora, these two teams were playing close games with plenty of animosity.

The game was being played in the big ice (Rink D) at RBC, and looking at the benches, you knew this was likely to favour the team with the larger number of players on those benches.  The Osprey were down to just 10 men after an off ice injury to defenceman Colin Appleby and an on ice injury in the previous game to Keaton Hicks.  The Aurora were rocking a full lineup and they were going to need those rested legs to take advantage of the extra space.

A few minutes into the game, Shane Whitman entered the Osprey zone and tried to make his way around Joey Richard, but Richard decked him, sending Whitman to the ice, his stick into the air, and Richard to the box.

The power-play got set up and went to work, throwing a couple shots on goal but not beating Dan Theueurkauf.  Nathan Bessey was out at the points trying to get his body in the shooting lanes and as Matt Anderson took a shot, Bessey got in the way and then was off streaking up the middle of the ice with Anderson and Mike Bourgeois in hot pursuit.   Anderson was catching him from his left side and Bourgeois from the right.  As Anderson got there he knocked Bessey off stride and he appeared to be going down, and Bourgeois got him from the right and swung for the puck but missed.  As Bessey lost his footing and was going down, he took a golf swing at the puck and put it up and over the shoulder of Prall and into the net to give the Osprey a 1-0 lead shorthanded.  As Bessey slid into the end boards, the sound of his biggest fan cheering from the bleachers above the Aurora goal could be heard through the arena.

Down by a goal, the Aurora aimed to level the score and Brandon Crowell cut into the centre of the ice while firing a rocket on goal.  Theueurkauf was able to just get a bit of the puck as it went off his arm and then clanged off the crossbar behind him on its way over the net.  Mat McLeod took a hooking penalty and the Aurora power play was given its second chance to alter the course of the game.  A tired looking Osprey team iced the puck every chance they got as they worked to kill the penalty, eventually successfully doing so.

Jonny Prall picked up an Osprey clearance that reached his zone, and as Jamie Richard was nearing him, he sauced the puck up to David Lacey who saw Brandon Crowell up ice.  A good pass later, Crowell was entering the Osprey zone on the left wing.  As he cut across the ice, he saw an opening glove side and shot it.  A foot off the ice, the puck was well placed, rippling the twine, and the score was even.

The gamesheet wouldn't see any more action in the first but the goalies would, as each made some good positional saves to keep it tied at the half.

Joey Richard entered the Aurora zone 2 minutes into the second and found cousin Jamie skating through the middle of the ice.  Jamie took the pass and threw it right on goal.  Prall had to extend his right pad to make the save but it led to a big rebound and Jamie was still moving towards the net where he picked up the rebound and threw it upstairs to give the Osprey the lead once again.

This is the point where the game started getting more chippy as both teams were taking some liberties, especially as scrums followed whistles.  It was still close so they were looking for any edge to get their team the next goal.  A shot on the Aurora goal was saved by Prall and as he dropped to cover the puck, Garrett Murray poked at it around the same time as Prall's glove went over top of the puck, but it was knocked loose and it looked like Jamie Richard was going to be able to just bang it in at the side of the goal, but Prall got his leg in the way.  Jamie thought quickly and made for the wraparound, aiming to put it in on his backhand.  His wraparound failed as he dove to put it in, but didn't get far enough in front of the net.  Brandon Marsh picked up the trash and as he tried to roof it, he fanned on the puck and it slid right under the outstretched leg of Prall.  The Aurora made motions that the puck was covered and the whistle should have blown, but it's not too often you see a ref overturn their call and the goal went up on the board to make it 3-1 for the Osprey.  This would be the moment where you could mark down where the Aurora got angry.

30 seconds after the goal, a big scrum broke out to the right of the Aurora goal and everyone got all hot and bothered.  As things got steamy, a couple of players were selected to spend some time in the penalty box.  Then about 90 seconds later at the next get together, another 2 players went and joined the penalty box party as the refs worked to calm the game.

Jamie Richard was skating into the ensuing draw and telling his team to just kill the game by taking the puck to their own zone and controlling it.  The Aurora bench laughed but right off the draw, Jamie took the puck all the way back to his zone.   Even his own team looked puzzled, so the possession didn't last long, but the idea was planted into their minds and they could be seen trying to possess the puck as much as possible.

The Aurora would take another penalty and the Osprey on a late power play was going to spell trouble for the Aurora who did manage to at least get the puck deep into the Osprey zone.  With a faceoff away from their own goal, they pulled Prall to try to get back into the game, but Jamie Richard's hard work would pay off as he had multiple chances on the empty net, eventually scoring to make it 4-1 and out of reach for the Aurora.  That would be where the game would end.

The Osprey will have no time to rest as they will play the Eurekas tonight in Game 1 of the Nomad Cup Final.  Puck drop is 8:30pm on Rink B at the RBC Centre.  Will the defending champs be able to repeat, or will the Eurekas take home their first championship?  We will have that answer in just 2-3 games.