It was a busy weekend for the Atom #2 team as they were looking to make a run towards the end of their season and set themselves up for a playoff run. The weekend started with a home game Friday night against the Penetang #1 team followed by a road game against Midland and concluded with a home game Sunday against Essa #2.
The Stars team knew they would have to at their best in the opening game of the weekend. The Stars managed to squeak out a 3-2 win against the Flames at the start of the season but since then the Flames had been playing very good hockey and were over 10 points ahead of the Stars in the standings. Coming off a weekend tournament where the Stars had played some pretty inconsistent hockey the message before the game was to work together and keep the front of the net clear.
First period puck possession was dominated by the Flames and the Stars goalie, Gavin, kept them in the game and limited the Flames to a 1-0 lead at the end of the period. The Stars were able to regroup in the second period managed to match the Flames in puck possession. About halfway through the period the Flames slipped up and took a hooking penalty and on the power play the Stars, Zach P, managed to steal the puck in the offensive zone and go far side on the Flames goalie to tie the game at 1-1 and that is where the score stood at the end of the 2nd period.
The Flames come out strong in the third period and dominated play through most of the period but after a long point shot from Stars defenceman, Jackson R. was knocked down in front of the net Ben P of the Stars jumped on the puck and swept a backhand through the five hole of the Flames goalie to give Stars the lead The lead was short-lived as a few seconds later Evan H of the Stars took a hooking penalty and the Flames tied the score with a power play goal and kept up the pressure and took the lead 3 -2 with another goal with ten minutes left in the game. Although the Flames continued to pressure the puck Ben P was able to take a pass from Jack B and tie the game with just over nine minutes remaining. After the goal the Stars were on their heals for the remainder of the game and could not generate much offense and in the could not hold on as the Flames took the lead for good with their forth goal to win the game.
With all the scrambling going during the game, Coach Mike took the opportunity to recognize a player that played consistent through the game and set an example for others on how to go to the net and play to the whistle so Matthew M was awarded player of the game.
