Dec 17, 2015 | spandes | 1434 views
Weekend Lightning Strike Fizzles
A three game stand over the weekend of November 27th to 29th left the Saugeen Maitland Bantam A Lightning unable to put a charge in their scoring and their advance up the standings in league play. The resulting power outage left the girls with a tie and two losses.
A late goal by the Waterloo Ravens on Friday night robbed the Lightning of a win leaving them to settle for a tie in a game that should have been two points for Saugeen Maitland. Natalie Fischer opened the scoring for the Lightning mid-way through the first period to tie the score with the hometown Ravens 1 to 1. Allison Stevenson and Landis King assisted on the goal, with honourable mentions going to Rylynn Sinclair and Keltie Talbot. Saugeen Maitland went ahead 2 to 1 early in the third period when Myea Fleet converted a pass from Allison Stevenson, with honourable mentions going to Rylynn Sinclair, Keltie Talbot and Landis King. Waterloo’s determination paid off late in the third period when they caught the Lightning sleeping during a goal-mouth scramble, banging home an uncontested puck. The game ended in a 2 to 2 tie.
Once again on Saturday afternoon at home to the Brampton Canadettes, the Lightning’s power sputtered, as Brampton got revenge for an earlier Lightning win, handing the locals a 4 to 2 loss in front of the hometown crowd. A fast start allowed Saugeen Maitland to open their scoring as they showed their determination to put the night before behind them. Natalie Fischer scored with the only assist on the play going to Mattie Shipp, with honourable mentions going to Mercedes Potter, Keltie Talbot and Allison Stevenson. The Canadettes responded with two goals, leaving the first period with a 2 to 1 lead over the locals. Hard work early in the second period had the Lighting pulling even with Brampton, as Avery Wettlaufer scored knotting the game at 2 to 2. Mercedes Potter and Mattie Shipp provided the helpers, with honourable mentions going to Taylor McLellan and Myea Fleet. That would prove to be the final offensive power from Saugeen Maitland. Brampton added two more goals, ending the second period up 4 to 2. A score-less third period ended this tilt at 4 to 2.
Back on the road again, Sunday the 29th saw the Lightning in Oakville for a game against the second place Hornets. Licking their wounds from an already disappointing weekend, Saugeen Maitland dug deep and presented their best effort of the three-game stand. Determined and focused, the Lightning rebounded from an early Oakville tally to tie the score 1 to 1, when Allison Stevenson banged home a rebound from a shot by Landis King, with honourable mentions going to Cassidy Elvidge, Avery Wettlaufer and Keltie Talbot. Despite loads of scoring opportunities, Saugeen Maitland was stoned by the Oakville goalie, as the Hornets scored three more times in the second and early third period to take a 4 to 1 lead. As lesser teams may have folded their tents and gone home, the Lightning proved to be gamers as they refused to lay down and give up. Less than a minute after the Hornets’ fourth goal, the Lightning struck, as Natalie Fischer teamed up with Mattie Shipp to pull Saugeen to within two of the leading Hornets’, with honourable mentions going to Cassidy Elvidge, Halie Tanner and Myea Fleet. With Oakville on their heels, the Lightning forced the play. The push paid off with a little over two minutes to go, Avery Wettlaufer potted a goal with help from Halie Tanner, with honourable mentions going to Landis King, Rylynn Sinclair and Allison Stevenson, to cut the Hornets’ lead to one goal. Unfortunately for Saugeen Maitland, time would not be on their side this game, ending the score at 4 to 3 for Oakville.
Submitted by: R. E. Porter (John Elvidge)