The last weekend of regular season play had the Lambton Jr Sting Major Peewee AAA team at home to face the Huron Perth Lakers on Saturday and then the Windsor Jr Spitfires on Sunday. A win in either game would ensure 3rd in the West and 4th overall.
Curtis Marks started Saturday’s matinee off with a break-a-way just 30 seconds into the game to send a buzz through the arena. His 5 hole attempt was unfortunately foiled as the Laker’s goaler turned it aside. After this, the Lakers tried to set a physical tone by hitting anything in a Black Sting home jersey. Answering back for the Lambton squad was an all around team effort as they refused to back down. Lambton was awarded the first power play of the match. Despite good puck control that generated several quality chances, the Sting were unable to pull the trigger and net the first goal of the game. The period ended with the home side successfully killing off a penalty that saw zero chances given to the Lakers.
The second started with Huron Perth showing more jump in their stride as the first several minutes were played in the Sting zone. The home side however, were able to keep the majority of the play to the outside and Jakob Knowles in net was able to turn away any shots that got through. Relieving the pressure Cameron Adam was sprung on a break-a-way as he stepped out of the penalty box. A rolling, bouncing puck that would not settle was his undoing as his knuckle-baller found the goaler’s mid-section. The ensuing scrum had the Lakers down a man for the ever popular head contact infraction. Once again the Huron Perth penalty killers were able to weather the Sting storm and kept the game knotted at a 0 – 0 tie. The Sting down 2 men for just over a minute late in the second provided some heart stopping action in their own end. It was Jakob Knowles saving the day by flashing the leather and snaring a blistering wrister low to the glove side to keep the Lakers off the score sheet on their best scoring opportunity of the game.
The third started with these two very evenly matched teams, who were playing an entertaining game, looking to score first as this goal tenders dual was shaping up to be a 1 – 0 affair if either team could score. It was Joey Ferrera on a nifty back hander on a partial break-a-way who almost notched the elusive goal. His shot dribbled through but the goaler was able to sit on the puck away before it crossed the line behind him. On another opportunity, Theo Crombeen’s efforts were undone by a whistle indicating a net’s off call. Despite the late period efforts the Sting were unable to score and the game ended in a scoreless draw.
Sunday’s battle for 3rd place in the West opened with the Spitfires and the Sting feeling each other out looking to take advantage of an early mistake by the other team. The Spits had the first opportunity but the crossbar saved the day for the home side on a rapidly rising backhander from in close. The Sting were awarded the first power play of the game and were looking to improve on yesterday’s 0-fer showing with the man advantage. Despite good puck movement and control, the Stings efforts were limited to the perimeter and they were kept off the score sheet.
Early in the second Lucas Knowles was sent in alone on an alley-oop pass but his 5 hole attempt was thwarted by the Windsor goaler. Shortly after the Sting penalty killers were able to keep the Windsor power play at bay keeping the game scoreless. The Spits however would build some momentum from their power play efforts and kept the Sting hemmed in their own zone for several minutes. Josh Bayne in net for the Sting was able to turn aside everything that made it through. Despite a mad scramble in the Windsor zone to end the second the game remained scoreless.
Two minutes into the 3rd, Lucas Knowles sniped one top glove cheddar to give the home side the 1 – 0 lead. The assists went to Dante Fuoco and Cameron Rombouts. After another successful penalty kill, the Sting allowed an even strength goal that evened the game at 1 goal apiece with 6.5 minutes to play. With the Windsor goaler pulled for the extra attacker the Spits notched their 2nd of the game with under a minute to play to take the lead. This secured the win and third in the West for Windsor.
With the loss, the Lambton Jr Sting knew they’d be facing the Sun County Panthers in the first round of the play downs.