Midget LL Looking for Strong Finish to Tough Season
Submitted By smorton on Monday, March 4, 2013
Hanging tough, working hard, keeping focus, staying competitive. All of the above apply to a determined group of Midget Local League hockey players who, despite a tough season and 2-1 loss to Blyth Saturday night at home, are fighting to the bitter end to finish on a high note or, at least, a competitive note.
The competitive spirit is the least of the team's worries. Even in this most recent loss, the compete level was there. It was a one-goal game through the first 30 minutes after Blyth-Brussels opened the scoring mid-way through the first period. The team skated, battled along the boards, matched Blyth-Brussels hit for hit in the body department and played an entertaining game. It certainly wasn't over until it was over.
"All season the guys have competed," said Head Coach Bruce Morton. "These guys have the skills and the attitude to compete. We just need to move up a notch to that next level of ability and it's been tough, but these boys just keep working at it."
Saturday night, they just kept working at it. After falling down 2-0 late in the third frame, they just kept working at it. They worked, they'd battled, they'd created chances on the Blyth-Brussels net, and got some solid goaltending from Macaulay Morton. Then finally, with just a minute to go in the game, Craig Perkes found Jake Nigh coming across the Blyth blue line and Nigh layed into a slap shot that found the bottom corner of the onion bag.
Yes, it all ended in a 2-1 loss for the Stars, yet another one-goal loss, but a competitive loss none-the-less. In the past couple weeks the team has lost by a one-goal margin in four contests.
Mix that in with a 2-2 tie in Walkerton and a 6-5 victory against this same Blyth-Brussels team and you've got a fairly decent run over the past 6 games. Not a winning streak mind you, but some tough, good, competitive hockey.
The team is hoping for more of that, and hopefully one more notch in the win column, as the season winds down in the next few days. The Stars are home to Kincardine Tuesday, March 5th with a puck drop at 7:30pm.
submitted by: Gerry Gibbs