S Club Battle

Coming into Wednesday night’s matchup, the Sable and Starrs were sitting on almost identical records.  They both had 2 wins and a loss, both teams had a goal differential of +3, both had just 4 penalty minutes, the only difference being that the Sable had scored and given up 2 more goals.  They both expectation was that this would be a good game, and it was.

Phil Sprague and Trevor Pate saw a lot of early shots on goal, but noting too exciting until Cole Stewart was set up by Kirk Levy on a stretch pass and went through the five hole of Phil Sprague.

Pat Oxner responded, but it would take 6 minutes of play before that happened and it was a wrister from the point that beat Pate in the Sable net.

The second period was where all the fun began.  Unless you’re a goalie.  Arnel Araya picked up a loose rebound to give the Starrs a lead back before Mike McIsaac got the Sable back to level only 20 seconds later.  The Starrs started to control the game after that one.

With 9:50, Pat Oxner came in hard and Trevor Pate made a save and the puck bounced up but he caught it before any trouble came of it.  The faceoff went to his right and was won to the point by the Starrs.  Mike Chassie sauced a puck toward the net and the seeing eye shot found its way through to put the Starrs up 3-2.

Oxner had another breakaway the next shift but Pate had his number, denying him with his right pad.  With 6:48 to play, Pate made a big mistake.  Sam Blondeau was coming in with speed in pursuit of a loose puck and Pate started toward it as well, but then let up for a moment.  That hesitation would cost him.  With his son looking on from the sidelines, Blondeau reached the puck first and just had to walk around a diving Pate for what little Blondeau referred to as “the easiest goal of his life”.

JJ Cardinal picked up a rebound and went to his backhand to make it 5-2 for the Starrs and the game was looking done with 5:18 to play.  That didn’t stop the Sable from trying.  Riley Hurlbert was making moves and did a spinning shot which Cole Stewart stopped before it reached Phil the Thrill.  Stewart then did a little spin of his own, leaving Sprague desperately reaching with his stick as the luck went past into the open net.

The Starrs would finish it off with JJ scoring into the empty net as the Starrs downed the Sable by a final score of 6-3 as the Starrs jumped into sole possession of first place.