Greyhounds Out-Run Osprey

The Nomad Hockey League played last week, but I was out of town, so I don’t have any articles for those games, but I’m back now and we are up and running again this week, albeit an abridge week due to a ringette tournament taking our Thursday ice, but we still have 3 games on tap, 2 of which were last night.

 

On rink B, we had the Osprey vs the Greyhounds. 1st vs 7th, but the league is tight and nothing is a win until the game is played.  

 

Osprey forward Rohan Dempsey had a power move a minute into the game, dangling one D, then he shot through the other, but Logan MacLean made a big kick save to thwart the early chance.  The Greyhounds then went to an early power play, and with it almost over, having no shots on goal, Rohan Dempsey once again caused some trouble as he just missed Scott Stewart with a back door pass through the crease after circling the net.

 

The game remained scoreless as Noah Joncas narrowly missed the net with a slot shot for the Greyhounds.  The grey guys had some sustained pressure after Michael “one sock” Bourgeois gave away the puck at his own blueline in a failed rush attempt, but fill in goalie Jamie Wutke shut the door.

 

Mat McLeod, looking good with 2 matchup socks again, took a wrister that nearly fooled Wutke with 5 minutes left in the first.  Of the ensuing draw, the Osprey broke out and went up ice.  Rohan led the play once more and his 2 on 1 pass to Josh Martel was received and then promptly returned, but the pass was broken up with an open net in front of Dempsey by Connor LeBlanc, earning some of that first round draft pick money.  The puck went around the boards to the point and Bourgeois fired high and wide (trademark David Lacey), but Jeff Snow was there and he knocked it with his glove and Logan MacLean had to be quick to stop the redirection from his own defenceman as the crowd echoed with “oooooo’s”.

 

Without Matt Simpson, the Osprey started pressing.  Rohan hit the corner crossbar when a rebound came to him.  With one minute left, Matt Simpson proved he actually was playing in the game when he rushed the puck up ice and tried to beat Logan short side.  He failed.  The score was 0-0 going into the second.

 

Bryan Gillis had a great scoring chance a few minutes into the second as he got a step on the D and in alone, he deked and tried the backhand, but Wutke denied him with his glove arm.

 

Nick Roache fed a pass up to Brock Bethune and he went down and roofed a shot over Wutke’s shoulder to put the Greyhounds up 1-0 with 12:24 to play.

 

The Osprey responded, once again the Dempsey, Stewart, Martel line was looking hot.  They pass the puck around and Josh Martel got the puck last and he deked Logan, freezing him and sliding the puck in around him for a beauty of a game tying goal.

 

With the faceoff going to centre, the Greyhounds won the draw and Rohan Dempsey stole the puck, fought his way to the net and deked five hole.  Suddenly the Osprey had the 2-1 lead as they scored twice in just 5 seconds after the Osprey tied the game.

 

After a few penalties, the Greyhounds gathered momentum, and with 5:11 left in the game, Mat McLeod tied it.  He took a drop pass from captain Connor MacPherson and his wrister fooled  Wutke as it went over his shoulder.

 

Scott Stewart nearly used the same deke as Josh Martel with 4 minutes left but Logan got the stick on the puck to deny him.  This game was going to the shootout, the Osprey’s nemesis.  

 

Up first was Greg Delano and he deked to the backhand and roofed it. 1-0 Greyhounds.  Mike Bourgeois tried going five hole with his shot but was denied.  Mat McLeod shot under the blocker, 2-0 Greyhounds. Up comes Matt Simpson, needing to score to keep the game going.  He skates in and shoots blocker side, but well over the net.  The Greyhounds earned the extra point and the Osprey move to 0 wins in 4 shootout attempts.