Tigers win, or game 3?

Following a wild finish to game 1 that saw the Tigers winning in triple overtime after a goal was called off for the Aurora moments earlier, the two teams were hoping for a game with a little less drama on Wednesday night in game 2.  The Aurora had outshot the Tigers 38-30 and felt good about their chances to take the second game, while the Tigers were riding the high of victory.  The Nomad Cup was in the house and awaiting a possible date with Norm Gallant.  

 

At the end of their first shift, Nathan Bessey chipped the puck to Matt Ryder and then went towards the net.  He was given the puck back with a clear opening to the net and he took the shot.  Josh McCarther made the save with his shoulder and as the puck dropped down, he batted it away with his stick.  Bessey was going to the net and got a foot on the puck, kicking it back at Josh.  The puck went through Josh’s legs and came out just behind him as he was unable to find it.  Steve Power was on one side of him looking for the rebound and Matt Ryder came in from the other side and he spotted the puck beside McCarther but Shane Whitman got there a moment before him and got just enough of the puck to stop Ryder.  Aiden Camphorst had his stick down across the goal line, and when Steve Power knocked the puck, it was Aiden’s stick that stopped it from progressing further.  Josh dove over and covered it to freeze play.

 

The Tigers finally got a shot on goal as Allan Beaton fired one which Nick Stryniak knocked to the corner.  Then Allan passed to game 1 hero Glenn Boyce who made a spinning backhand pass to Kurt Thibault on the back door.  He one timed it on goal, but Stryniak came across and made the save and held it.  Off that faceoff, Bessey ended up with a partial breakaway.  He shot but couldn’t beat McCarther.

 

 Bobby Sacre pinched down low and got the puck in the Tigers end and he quickly fired a pass across to Matt Ryder going to the net.  Ryder got a stick on the puck on his backhand but couldn’t direct it into the goal.  With Bobby having decided he was forward now, Nathan Bessey and Dave Matthews were the defensemen who watched Brandon Crowell get behind them.  When the puck turned over to Shane Whitman in front of the Tigers goal, he went for the stretch pass.  In a moment of graceful symmetry, Matthews and Bessey both dove towards the centre of the ice to breakup the pass.  It was Dave who knocked it down to avoid the Crowell breakaway.

 

After a failed zone clearance, Dan Keays walked into the centre of the ice, fighting off a check he fired a backhand that went off the post as the Tigers got close to that important first goal.  The Aurora were outshooting the Tigers 10-5 early on, but Dan Keays was looking to make something happen for the Tigers.  He got the puck deep in the Aurora zone and made a perfect pass to Allan Beaton.  Allan was in a scoring position and he didn’t waste any time getting the shot off as Stryniak was getting into position, but Chris Ryder got his stick blade on the shot and deflected it wide.

 

Josh Beaudreau set Brandon Marsh up in the slot and he took a wrister that McCarther just got his toe on as the Aurora responded with a scoring chance of their own, and then the Tigers took a penalty.  

 

Power play unit 1 had no zone time and a nothing shot from the outside.  PP2 gave up a shorthanded shot on goal as the Aurora looked more dominant at even strength.  Nick Stryniak had a little adventure at the side of his goal as he misplayed a puck and nearly scored on his own net as he dove to make sure he didn’t end up in a viral video.

 

Brandon Crowell walked out from the corner in the Aurora end and had a great scoring opportunity that Stryniak shut down and then he tracked down the Aurora defenseman and stole the puck. He fanned in his shot, which slowly went wide of the goal as he shook his head.

 

After toe dragging Glenn Boyce, Chris Ryder got taken down can opener style by Boyce’s trailing stick.  No call was made as Chris slide through the crease.  He’d get the puck back at the point seconds later and with Rowan in front providing a Sean Avery screen, Chris saw an opening glove side.  McCarther flashed the leather as Chris couldn’t believe that Josh had even been able to see the shot.

 

Steve Power to Nathan Bessey to Matt Ryder.  He drives outside Corey Crewe as he protects the puck, moves to the net with Eric Blanchard coming over, but before Eric arrives, Ryder shoots top corner and jumps in celebration as the Aurora take a 1-0 lead with 1:42 left in the first.  It’s the Aurora’s 16th shot on goal and they’ve finally broken through.

 

It’s the Tigers who seem to take the momentum after the goal as they get into the Aurora kitchen until the end of the period.  A couple shots on goal come of it, but Stryniak remains perfect, stopping all 11 Tigers shots through 1.

 

The second period was an immediate adrenaline hit for the game.  Matt Ryder took a shot which was stopped but he kept skating and went for the wraparound.  Dan Keays, probably a road hockey goalie in his youth, get his stick in the right spot and shuts down the chance on the goal line, then McCarther makes a beauty blocker save on Nathan Bessey alone in front on the rebound.

 

This was now looking like the power play the Aurora wish they had.  They were moving the puck well, getting good shots, and the Tigers were scrambling like mad.  Through it all, McCarther was doing everything in his power to give his team a chance to win.  Just one chance at the other end is all they needed to tie it up of he could weather the storm, and weather it he did.

 

Slowly the Tigers got some shots on goal, but nothing of value, the closest they would come for the next while would be a point shot that Crowell nearly tipped in front.  The Aurora came back and nearly scored top corner with Bessey having the opportunity, but McCarther was on it.

 

Tyler Selvet made the sickest moves of his career in the neutral zone but couldn’t make it through traffic in the slot, and for all his good work, he god a David Lacey clapped in the ass as he went to the net.

 

Kurt Thibault drove the net at the other end and as he got around Bobby Sacre, Bobby stuck the knee out and somehow avoided punishment at Thibault was sent flying. Kurt was trying to make things happen and taking the puck at the blueline, he passed to Crowell moving into the zone.  Brandon one timed the puck which was coming from behind him, and just barely missed the net, the best scoring chance in ages for the Tigers.  An even better chance was a minute around the corner.  Ron Beaton who had seemed a part of every play in game 1, made his presence known in game 2 with a fantastic tip on a point shot.  Chris Ryder however, was playing like that time these two teams played and the Aurora started with no goalie.  He blocked the redirection with his foot to keep it scoreless.

 

It was crunch time and the Tigers pulled their goalie.  25 seconds left, Ron Beaton with the tip, Stryniak the save, Aurora players blocking everything they can, they clear the zone, this series is head to game 3!

 

What a game!  Nick Stryniak with the 19 save shutout, Josh McCarther only allowing 1 goal on 29 shots, this series has been a goaltender’s duel.  What will we see in the deciding game?  This should be exciting.  Someone will be taking the Nomad Cup home, let’s go!