Game #3 in the series and it’s still tied!
The stands were jam packed today in anticipation of game #3 of this final round. As the coaches prepped their teams, the fans sat anxiously to see the skaters hit the ice. There were no “sides” in this game. The fans were intermingled throughout the stands, laughing and chatting….. because we, as are the skaters, are friends. Suddenly the player doors to the pad open and the flash of red and white overcomes our eyes! The stands rise to their feet and start to cheer on the DRAGONS; both teams! GO DRAGONS!!!!!!
Late afternoon on the second day of a weekend and after losing an hour of sleep, it was evident that the kids were feeling it. They all played well but took a little time to get up to speed. Period number one was full of back and forth action and some awesome hockey. That being said, neither team was able to make a mark on the score board. The buzzer rang and we moved on.
The second period was very much the same as the first although LL1 was blasting some fantastic shots at our net. If I were to name a STAR of the game for our team today, it would have gone to our goalie, Matthew Cochrane. Matthew pulls out his moves this period (and all throughout the game actually) and saves everything that comes his way. Save after save, he doesn’t quit. At one point, LL1 fires a shot high on net and Matthew flashes the leather, makes the save and swoops the glove back, up and past his head to make his mark! The period is halfway over and we all assume we are headed for another scoreless period. The DRAGONS take their turn in LL1’s end, an opportunity brought on by Mega Mike’s skills. Mike carries the puck through a heard of Red and White DRAGONS and gets it up to LL1’s net. He takes a shot and it’s blocked by Justin. He gets his own rebound, takes a quick stab and it’s again blocked. Mike heads back to his defensive position but Jumpin Jacob picks up where Mike left off. Jacob takes his chance at this disobeying puck and, again, it bounces of Justin’s pads. In his position and ready for his turn, Dandy Daniel sees the puck drop. He pulls back and buries the puck in the net for our first goal of the game. At 2:43 in the second we find ourselves up by 1, although it took us four attempts to get this puck past LL1’s goalie.
We head into the last and most jaw clenching period of this game. The play has picked up dramatically by both teams but the shots are not going where they are intended, and that would be past the goalie! Like a mullet on a Hill-Billy, Matthew C. was all over every shot…. until the last 4 minutes of the game. At this point, LL1 heads toward Matthew and flicks a shot that goes high up in the air. Matthew tries his best but the puck sails just over his helmet and lands just in our net. We are now tied 1-1 and this is the way it stays for the rest of the game.
We end with a tie and wonder who will break it next!
Great job out there tonight DRAGONS!!! We are just loving the excitement!