Feb 21, 2015 | goldfield | 707 views
Thunder Puts it All Together vs Blackhawks2
Oro had back to back games vs The Collingwood Blackhawks 2 culminating in a Thursday night match with huge implications
Oro were hosts to Collingwood 2 last Saturday in a game that Coach missed,but I had plenty of coaches and scouts that kept me up to date during the match.
Game 1- Saturday Feb14/15
I am told we didn't play our best match,but gave full effort to come back from an early deficit
C2 has some dynamic players,and they came out flying to take an early 1-0 lead
Oro regained composure after the first 5 minutes and began to trade chances ,but neither goalie could be beat
Second period saw The Blackhawks jump to a 2-0 lead and the boys had to dig deep.
Coach Ian implored the boys to shoot the puck and sure enough Chase got us on the board from Owen and Ben to make it 2-1.
Late second I'm told Chase had a superlative one man effort to make a wrap around play,follow up is own rebound and not give up until the puck found the back of the net. Coaches and scouts were very impressed!
2-2- after 2.
Early third saw a rare occurrence...a penalty shot!
Doogie was hauled down on a PK breakaway and took the shot..or was it?
Karen emailed me the video immediately and I was able to watch almost live Doogie put on a spellbinding move that left the tender guessing sliding home the puck into the empty side
Sadly,the 3-2 lead lasted only 8 seconds
On the ensuing faceoff Collingwood pushed the puck forward and split the D to immediately knot the match on the PP
I'm told Eric was in full Flash mode and led the D with terrific gap control and that he shut down The Blackhawks best forwards
The match see-sawed back and forth right up until the final minute where magic happened.
Collingwood charged in hard and ripped a shot that Justin saved but the rebound went right to a player in front of the goal for an easy open netter
What followed was the stuff of legend
Justin,realizing the game winner was a split second from going in,dove across flat out and snagged the shot like a shortstop diving for an infield line drive. Glove snag and the final out.
One you'll be able to tell your grandchildren about buddy.. and it quite possibly saved our playoff chances.
I had texts immediately telling me about "The Save" and only wish I was there to witness it
Congrats Justinator for never,ever giving up on a play.
The team had battled an unfamiliar Western foe who was ripping through the East like a hot knife through butter and gave us a chance to fight another day
That day was Thursday in Collingwood
Final
Oro 3 - Collingwood 3
Coach came revved up with his game face..I had handicapped the schedule/done the math and knew the importance of this game.
Only a win would ensure that fate could be controlled by our hands
We had three boys in sick bay and were concerned about the workload..but they grinded it out and were game changers
So we talked empathically about recent strategies and old lessons worked on in practice
To win this game against a mighty squad would not only require superlative effort,but smart decision making and heightened awareness
The boys came through...and played possibly their best game to date
The Blackhawks did NOT take the game to us from the opening faceoff,in fact the opposite was true
Oro maintained an even keel against the hard forchecking waves and rocked the Georgian's boat themselves.
Yet Collingwood is a very opportunistic team...they pressure well and try to force turnovers with lightning speed
Justin had to be sharp for the odd mishap where a player ran the gauntlet and he was on his game throughout with huge saves when called upon
Late first the Blackhawks drove the net for a rebound and pushed home a trickler that gave them a 1-0 lead going into the second
We told the boys to keep focussed and playing the way they were...the breaks will come
And they did
Oro began to take charge of the game the longer it went...and the ice felt like it began to tilt.
Collingwood was still ever dangerous, but the chances were clearly in our favour
Our D was closing gaps and playing hard, rushing at appropriate times,moving the puck quickly and simply at others. It was a tour de force for the D who are really finding their way
The forwards played their guts out.. if I may be so blunt.
Forechecking was the best I have seen to date creating turnovers and chances shift after shift.
There were several plays that stood out...a fabulous heads up,two line pass on the tape from Chase blueline to blueline to a breaking Aidan who was thwarted on the in alone by the Blackhawk's excellent tender.
Jacob driving the net with a power move to dish it one handed into the slot that almost worked.
Justin performing acrobatics on a partial breakaway and second chance going old school with the double pad stack
Everything but the kitchen sink buddy
Doogie got us evened up late second with a hard wrister from Harry
Point blank/top shelf and we could feel the relief...finally.
Owen was driving the wing game long and truly had one of his best efforts.
He was instrumental in our second goal by blasting wide down his wing and centering the puck to Ty high slot who bounced one off the goalies pads and drove for the rebound.
The Collingwood defender felt the pressure and tried to clear but did so into his net...sadly for them.
Stuff happens,but as Coach Ian rightly pointed out "pressure" causes mistakes
Ty will tell his kids it was top shelf peanut butter in 20 years but the go ahead goal was a combination of great work by Owen and good positioning /net drive...and some puck luck we surely deserve.
Told O post game that may be the best three periods I had ever seen him play...effort and skill personified.
But he wasn't alone in that department..the whole team rose to the occasion
Into the early third and we found ourselves on the PP
It had been a focus the last couple practices and the boys wasted absolutely no time in drilling home the insurance marker
A dominant faceoff win,back to point,d to d, shot on goal,rebound banged home by Chase
Would love to say it was the extra work at practice,but this was simply a combination of little things(face off win) and quick,smart puck movement that created confusion and open ice to shoot/rebound/score.
The game sheet says you did it in two seconds (it was about 10) and it was unassisted (clearly it wasn't) but this marker took the wind out of Collingwood's sails.
A sharp breakout and Ty dumped it deep where the Tazmanian Devil,who was flying game long despite illness,forced a turn over,passed it to Ty behind the net who then saucered it to Doogie mid slot for the quick one timer up high.
Beautiful combination of effort,passing and finish we had seen game long... mostly unrewarded.
4-1 and the boys were in full control
Collingwood pulled the tender with over 2 mins to go but never really posed a threat
We had owned the third and kept The Blackhawk threats to a minimum while creating chances throughout at the other end.
A Thunder Storm saved for the coldest night of the year.
Players who didn't end up on the scoresheet;
Hayden; you were confident, aggressive and played three periods of stay at home,shut down D
A beast in the crease. Maybe the best I have ever seen you play which is saying something.
Colt; cerebral, played position impeccably with an always got your back Captain game we have come to expect. Consistency is your hallmark.
Connor; Guts,effort,drive and hard clears/smart passes always with an eye to cover for your adventurous partner
You wore the Bat shirt like a champ.
Flash; great speed,smart rushes and hard backchecks. Another top drawer game ..again.
Magoo; smart rushes and simple plays when required. Your hard clears and smart icers when needed were very heads up. A threat at the O blueline always and tough in the crease to help Justin game long.
Harry; A dominant and confident leadership effort from the opening faceoff
Smart rushes,didn't force play, and couldn't be beat in the corners.
A calming influence and one of your best games to date playing shutdown D
Edward; Got better as the game went on. Saw you getting your legs second period and when the Eddie train gets rolling..look out!
Great half rushes and passes over to center when the pressure came. Drove the net but didn't get the bounces.
Keep it rolling Fast Eddie!
Aidan; For a guy who was sick as a dog it didn't show..until you laboured on the bench after each shift
Tough,gutsy effort to dig deep and fly all over the ice all night pressuring,passing and backchecking like a buzzsaw.
Jacob; Our best forechecker on the night...not surprisingly as you are a force in that department
Another guy who had to tough out an illness and like Aidan,it was hardly noticeable. Top marks Taz !
Ben; Got better as game progressed and battled hard each shift. Strong on the puck and drove the net to create havoc like no other. It's YOUR crease after all. #House of Ben
Ty; what a strange game. The groin,the first shift calamity,the comeback and the hard skating second half
Your heads up passing is your greatest strength and you were a difference maker back in the line-up tonight.
Way to tough it out son
Owen,Chase Doogie and Justin; Just incredible.
'nuff said
Post game I admitted that I couldn't dare pick a POG..there were too many standout performances to just choose one.
Captain Harry spoke up and nominated Justin...and the boys hooted their approval
After the two game series not a better candidate me thinks..yet this was a team effort of the highest order
This hoarse Coach felt as jacked up tonight for as any game he's ever coached ...and those were the ten happiest push -ups ever given
Yet there will be many more to follow of equal and greater importance resulting from tonight's win
We must continue to play this extraordinarily for a chance at the Silver Chalice boys...the competition is that great.
I have asserted from mid season, that when Thunder 1 plays their BEST, there are few teams out there that can beat us.
You proved it tonight boys...and we live to fight another day
Final
Oro 4 - Collingwood 1