Oct 24, 2011 | Dan Culbert | 345 views
Undisciplined Play Leads To 5th Loss
A serious problem with continued undisciplined play paved the way for an easy win 6-2 for the home town Nationals. Taking 24 minutes in penalties in the first 30 minutes of the game lead to 4 Power Play goals and an easy win over the Midget 99ers on Sunday afternoon.
With 6 regulars out of the line-up, 2 due to work commitments and 4 out with suspensions, the team was supported by 4 AP players; Brayden Hill, Philip Barbon, Jamie Kelly, and Bryaden Dickenson in an attempt to ice a competitive team. However, the 99ers continued to make poor decisions and cost themselves the opportunity to compete 5 on 5 during in the early stages of this season.
The Nationals scored three power play goals in the first period, two of them 5 on 3 and the third 5 on 4 with a delayed penalty being called against Brantford as the team had another mental melted down. The 12 minor penalties, including 6 while the team was already short, provided the Nationals with numerous 5 on 3 opportunities and killed any chance of building momentum for the 99ers.
London actually provided the Brantford boys with an opportunity early on a dangerous play when RJ Huszczo had his feet taken out heading back into his own zone and crashed hard into the end boards. Brantford had a couple of good chances to open the scoring, but even though they didn't they did generate momentum. The trouble started when the 99ers took a hooking penalty behind the London net during a forecheck about 6 mins into the game. On the resulting PK they took a double minor penalty giving London a 5 on 3 and the Nationals took advantage of it scoring 9 seconds later. The home team scored on the front half of the double minor with a delay penalty coming so the result was a 2-0 lead and another 5 on 3. Brantford was able to kill off the first, but couldn't recover the puck and the National scored 1 second later to open up a 3-0 lead 8 minutes into the game. The home team stretched it to 4-0 with an even strength goal with just under 3 minutes to play in the first. Brantford again went to the box with just under a minute to play and made it a 5 on 3 less than a minute into the 2nd. Brantford killed off, the first and then the Nationals took the next penalty to nullify the rest of the advantage and then playing 4 on 4, Mike Gotkowski picked up a loose puck on a Nationals giveaway inside their own zone and broke the ice for the 99ers. The Nationals, then provided the Brantford team with their only 5 on 3 of the game and 30 seconds into the opportunity, Andrew Schunk scored with Philip Barbon and Andrew Lombardi picking up the helpers, to make the score 4-2 and give the 99ers some hope. Less than 4 mins later, a puck handling error on a long dump in, cost the 99ers an even strength goal and killed their momentum, the Nationals then upped the lead to 6-2 on another 5 on 3 advantage with 1:20 to play in the period.
The mood was less than pleasant in the dressing room between the 2nd and 3rd periods as a review was given as to the trend of play being displayed on the ice. A refocussed effort was required and was provided by the team in the third as they played hard, smarter, and with more self discipline, as the two teams played a scoreless period of good fast hockey. Both teams generated scoring chances with the Nationals hitting the post low on Curtin's stick side, while Larry hill beat the London goalie with a quick wrister only to find the iron high glove.
Next up for the 99ers is a week of practice before heading into the Scotia Bank Cup tourney in Mississauga this weekend.