Jan 30, 2016 | Ryan Olmstead | 930 views
McGee Motors Lose Two and Win One in Last Three
Over the past three games the McGee Motors Novice Reps have been like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Last Sunday the Sailors hosted the Kincardine Kinucks and boy oh boy did they fall flat. Not much to talk about from this game as the hometown Sailors were beat in every facet of the game losing 7-0. After the game the coaches spoke about the importance of being focused prior to game time and how all the coaches knew they were a much better team then what they showed.
The McGee Motors Novice Reps then traveled to Mitchell to face the powerful Meteors. The coaches spoke to the team before the game explaining the importance of playing as a team, sticking up for each other, and that it didn't matter if they won, lost or tied as long as at the end of the game they were able to look their teammates in the face and say they tried their best every shift.
Boy oh Boy what a different team that skated onto the Mitchell ice. The team played an incredible 200 foot game, stood up for their goaltender and put in 110% every shift. Mitchell took an early 2-0 lead but not from lack of effort from the Sailors team, however half way into the second period the Sailors battled back. Cody made a great pass to spring Sawyer who split the defence and fired a wrister that tipped off the blocker of the Mitchell netminder and into the net. A short time later, Sawyer chipped the puck at the blue line skated in all alone and fired a low hard shot tying the game at two. Mitchell scored late in the second period to take a 3-2 lead into the final period.
In the third it was more of the same as the Sailors and Meteors continued to battle in the corners and in front of the net but sometimes a little over aggressive as the teams combined for 16 minutes in penalties in the final frame. The Meteors were able to score two more goals late in the third for a 5-2 win. However in the dressing room the mood was very positive as the team could look at themselves in the mirror and knew they tried their best which as a coaching staff and parents was all anyone could ask for. Sawyer was awarded the helmet for Hardest Working Player of the Game and points went to Sawyer (2g) and Cody (1a).
On Saturday the Sailors had revenge in their mind as they hosted the Kincardine Kinucks less than a week after they were embarrassed 7-0 on home ice. The coaches again reminded the shorthanded Sailors to play for each other and to have "No Regrets" meaning that no matter the outcome if they played as hard as they could every shift they would have no regrets. What a game!!!
This game was entertaining from start to finish as the teams battled in every area. On a Kinucks powerplay Sawyer was able to find a loose puck just outside of the Sailors blue line and after beating a couple players to the outside fired a backhander into the top of the net for a 1-0 lead. The two evenly matched teams continued to throw pucks at each others net, but Owen was un-phased as he stood tall in the Sailors end making save after spectacular save.
With just over two minutes left in the third period a Kinucks player caught the Sailors off guard and broke through all alone but Cohen back checked hard enough that he was able to haul the player down before a shot was taken. Everyone in the arena knew what was coming next, "Penalty Shot for the Kinucks." Again Owen was cool in the pipes as the Kinucks player came in quick but Owen made an incredible pad save to keep the game 1-0 for the home team. The final two minutes saw the Kinucks throw everything including the kitchen sink at Owen but he was able to stop everything that came his way for his seventh shut out of the season and preserve the win for the McGee Motors Novice Reps. You guessed it, Owen won the helmet for the Hardest Working Player of the Game and the lone Sailors goal shorthanded went to Sawyer with assists from Devlin and Duncan.
The Sailors host the Saugeen Shores Storm next Sunday february 7th at 1:00 at the Memorial Arena.