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Sunday, May 19, 2013
Friday, May 17, 2013
Round 3, Game 3 - 8-0 Win vs. TNT #2
Game three of the Simcoe Region Local League finals came four days after the weekend meeting between the two teams. NobleKing was leading the series 2-0, but TNT had fought fiercely in both games.
Chris Frenette started an early break play less than a minute into the game, sending the puck to Bryce Cameron at the blue line. Cameron carried the puck out and sent a long cross-ice pass to Lucas Stanghieri. He carried the puck into the TNT zone and hammered a shot just wide. The Knights were looking to get on the board early in this game.
TNT cleared the zone and got the puck deep into the NobleKing end. Mitch Harknett held for a few moments while the forwards changed, and then found Nicholas Ladisa at the left side of centre. Ladisa went down the left side and through the circle towards the goal line. Sean Marchand had joined the rush, going hard to the net.
Ladisa's pass went through the crease, and Marchand tried to take it on his forehand in tight. The pass hit his skate, and went in, putting the Knights on the board at 8:39 of the first.
The next line kept up the heat. Lucas Brockie won a faceoff in the Knight zone, and Cameron was there to knock the puck forward. Marcus Beretta stepped up to chip the puck out, and Stanghieri was away. He split the TNT defense at centre ice, earning himself a breakaway. The TNT goaltender was forced to make a good save. Jack Mull was first to the puck in the right corner of the TNT zone.
With about seven and a half minutes left, Frenette broke up a TNT rush, and turned up ice. He carried the puck behind the TNT net, trying a backhand pass to Stanghieri on the far side of the crease - but it was knocked away.
The Knights kept the puck in, and slapped it deep. Cameron got to the puck at the left side of the net, and he tried a quick backhand in close. It hit the side of the net, and Cameron recovered, curling around the back of the hemp hut.He send a backhand pass to Ladisa in the low slot, but it was blocked.
The puck ended up in the right corner, and Jacques Berman worked the boards along with Ladisa and Cameron before the puck was cleared out of the zone.
Berman was back quickly, and after Beretta broke up the TNT rush, Berman carried the puck back up ice. He stepped over centre and dished to Ladisa at the TNT blue line. Ladisa made a nifty move to get the puck in, and stepped to the top of the circle as Cameron headed to the net. Ladisa's pass was deflected to the corner, where Berman quickly sent it back to the crease, and Cameron had a good chance.
TNT mounted a rush back through the neutral zone, but Ladisa caught the forward and physically threw him off the puck. Ladisa then sent a nice bounce pass off the far boards to Berman on the left side. Berman carried the puck in, and turned to wait for troops.
The puck was cleared briefly, but dumped back in to the right corner of the TNT zone. A good forecheck resulted in a giveaway by the TNT defender. Brockie sent the puck down the right boards where Marchand picked it up in the corner. Marchand carried towards the back of the net, but stepped out on the short side where he put the puck off the post, and was knocked down.
The Knights kept up the tremendous pressure. It was clear they didn't want to play a fourth game.
Stanghieri got to the loose puck, feeding Frenette in the high slot. His one-timer went over the net. Marchand found the loose puck and backhanded back to the slot. Stanghieri's backhand was stymied by a good save, and TNT iced the puck.
The clock was approaching the midpoint of the period as Ladisa won the faceoff after the icing. Mull stepped towards the net, sending a backhand just over the crossbar. A scrum formed in the right corner, with Mull emerging with the biscuit.
Mull curled to the right point, around Beretta and shot the puck to the net. Ladisa deflected the shot, leaving Cameron with the puck in front. He shot once, and then buried his own rebound at 4:59. NobleKing was leading 2-0.
Netminder Carmen Ladisa had not been busy, but he had to be sharp. TNT won a faceoff in the Knight zone cleanly to the point, and Ladisa made a great save through a crowd.
But the NobleKing steamroller would not be denied for long. Harknett passed the puck up to Brockie from deep in the Knight zone. Brockie carried the puck into the TNT zone, where it was poked away. Berman scooped it up, sending a backhand pass to the edge of the crease. Stanghieri had a try, but it was Brockie who pounded the puck in at 3:44 of the first.
Soon after the faceoff at centre ice, Parker Harris found himself deep in the right hand NobleKing corner. He flipped the puck to the blue line, but the TNT forward chipped it away from the intended recipient.Harris moved quickly, picking up the puck and carrying it by the second winger at centre ice. The play turned into a two on two with Stanghieri. Harris tried a pass to Stanghieri, but the defender slapped it away - right back to Harris. He leaned into a slapshot which was blocked, and deflected to the corner.
There was some excitement in the NobleKing end soon after this. TNT got the puck deep, and the Knight clearing attempt was blocked at the point. The puck came back down to the Knight corner, and a quick pass to the blue paint went through the Knight defenseman's feet and off the skate of the TNT winger on the far edge of the crease. The puck ended up in the left corner, where the play was frozen.
NobleKing now found themselves pinned in their own end, finally dumping it out. As TNT tried to get back in, the Knights took a penalty. There was just over a minute left in the period, and TNT was itching to get on the board.
As usual, the penalty killing was excellent. A good forecheck by Cameron killed some time in the TNT zone. Once TNT got the puck into the Knight end, Harknett blocked a slapshot, and Ladisa made a follow-on save.
Harknett picked up the puck and carried it up the left side of the ice. He cut into the middle of the rink and entered the TNT zone, rocking a one on five. He killed some time before passing to Ladisa. Ladisa managed a one on four for several seconds, before finally sending the puck deep for a line change.
The period came to a close with the Knights up 3-0, and still killing a penalty.
NobleKing had some trouble at the start of the second. A clearing attempt was knocked down leaving a three on two against Beretta and Frenette. Mull and Ladisa were back quickly and the shot went wide. The puck was cleared, but was quickly back sent back in.
Mull did some good work in front of the net, helping to protect the crease as the puck came across. Goaltender Ladisa also made a solid save on the play.
TNT continued the pressure, hoping to open their scoring against NobleKing. TNT's next rush was a two on two. Beretta forced the winger outside, and Frenette tipped the pass across away from the charging TNT forward.
Frenette was first to the puck and he sent a stretch pass to Stanghieri as he came out of the penalty box. Stanghieri had a long breakaway, making a good move to the backhand - but the goaltender made a solid save.
Surviving the penalty swung the momentum back towards the Knights. The puck ended up in the left corner of the TNT zone, and there was a tough scramble for control. Marchand pulled the puck down from the half-boards, and deked through the defenseman's feet - but he lost an edge as he tried to step in front.
Cameron tried to get the puck to the crease, but he was hit by the defenseman. The puck went back to the corner, and this time it was Brockie who gathered it up. There was a hard battle in the corner, with Brockie getting hit in the chops. But Cameron came in to level the playing field - and the TNT winger.
The Knights took a penalty at 8:28, and were once again on the PK. But this was an excellent penalty kill. Early on, Stanghieri caught a rushing TNT winger and bodied him off the puck. The team was trapped briefly, but Brockie chipped the puck out and down the ice.
Forty-five seconds into the TNT power play, there was another rush, and this time Harris tipped the puck away from the rusher and pounded it down the ice. Brockie executed a solid forecheck as TNT tried to leave their own zone, and slid the puck ahead to Stanghieri, but the pass was blocked.
As TNT came up the ice this time, Stanghieri made a diving sweep check to take away the rush.
Harknett had a good rush while the Knights were short-handed. He had a one on one from centre ice in, but was well played by the defenseman to break up the play.
TNT dumped the puck in as the end of the power play approached. It took a hard bounce off the edge of the Zamboni door, and the puck ended up in the slot. Frenette was there to clear it back to the side boards, and Marchand got the puck out of the zone.
TNT tried to put together one last rush, but Marchand skated down the rusher and stripped him of the puck. A quick pass up to Ladisa sent the Knights back towards the TNT zone as the teams returned to even strength. Ladisa dumped the puck in, and Berman peeled it off the corner boards. A quick pass back to Ladisa, now at the crease, and the Knights had a good scoring chance - but it was denied and the zone was cleared.
TNT tried to dump the puck in, but Harris was quickly there to block the attempt. He then sent a good pass from from blue line to blue line, hitting Marchand in full stride. He stepped around the defenseman, rifling a wrist shot to the net.
TNT quickly turned the other way, and after making another good save, Ladisa covered the puck allowing a line change.
At the ensuing faceoff, the puck was bouncing. A quick TNT slapshot that hit a skate had five hole written all over it - but Ladisa made the save.
Brockie chipped the puck to Stanghieri as he rushed through the middle. Stanghieri tried a shot to the short side with Mull going to the crease, but the puck was blocked and came out to the top of the slot. Frenette one-timed the puck as Mull and Brockie screened, but the shot was deflected over the net.
Brockie now carried the puck out to the point and sent it back deep to the corner. Again there some rough play in the corner, and Frenette emerged with the puck. His wraparound attempt was blocked.
Despite their chances, the Knights were unable to score. TNT tried to take advantage of that to get back within reach with a good breakout. This set up a two one against Frenette. Frenette wouldn't give up the pass, and the puck carrier made a good move around Ladisa, challenging well out of the net. However the puck carrier slid the puck across the crease and wide.
With just under four minutes left, the Knights generated another chance. Ladisa executed a hard forecheck to keep the puck deep, and then bounced it off the boards to Berman in the right corner. Berman stepped out towards the net, firing a shot off the goaltender's pads. The rebound came to Harknett in the high slot, but it was saved.
Both teams took misconducts with 2:55 left in the second, as a mix-up in front of the benches started to get a bit nasty.
A following faceoff took place deep in the Knight end in the left circle. The puck was won back to the point, but Marchand got there to tip the puck by. Marchand and Stanghieri had a long two on one. Marchand backhanded a pass across the slot to Stanghieri, but it was tipped just out of his reach. But Brockie, trailing the play, stripped the puck from the defender trying to clear it. He sent a shot to the net.
Stanghieri picked up the loose puck and curled out for a shot. Marchand was at the edge of the crease for the screen. The TNT goaltender delivered a good slash and then kicked his feet out as the puck came across the crease. TNT took a penalty with 2:29 left in the second.
The faceoff deep in the TNT zone saw TNT try to clear the puck. But Frenette kept it in at the point, dumping it back in. Mull was the first one there, sending a quick pass to Stanghieri. The pass went through the crease but Cameron couldn't get a stick on it. Frenette was right behind him and had the chance for two shots.
The puck now went behind the net where Cameron and Mull battled for it. TNT took a penalty for interference in the scrum at 1:24. The penalty boxes were busy, with three players in the TNT box and one in the NobleKing box.
The ensuing faceoff came back to Beretta at the point. He passed over to Frenette with Stanghieri and Mull in front of the net. Mull earned the goaltender's wrath and then both Cameron and Mull went to the left corner to fight for the puck. The play was blown down.
The Knights had several good chances on the five on three. Harris' dump-in went off a shinpad right to Marchand. He sent a great backhand pass across the top of the zone to Harris in the high slot. His shot was blocked.
Harknett found his own rebound, passing to Brockie on the left side. His shot was tipped by Marchand, who then had another chance that went wide. Berman put the puck back in front before it was cleared.
The Knights had one last chance in the second. Netminder Ladisa came way out of his net, sending the puck off the boards to Harknett. Harknett sent the quick-up to Brockie at the TNT blue line. Berman and Brockie moved in, with Brockie taking the shot. Berman found the loose puck behind the net, but time expired in the second. Despite the offense, the Knights were unable to extend their 3-0 lead.
The Knights were quick off the mark in the third, with Mull pumping the puck into the TNT zone. Cameron was first on the forecheck, and then the two of them worked the corner. The puck was sent back to Beretta at the point, and he came in to the top of the right circle for a slapshot.
After the faceoff, Brockie won the puck cleanly to Marchand. He cut over to the middle but his snapshot was blocked. He picked up the loose puck and tried a backhand but it too was blocked.
Harknett was next on deck, carrying the puck out of his own zone, splitting the TNT defense, and getting a good forehand shot away from the left side.
On the ensuing faceoff, the puck came cleanly back to Harris. His slapshot was knocked down by a high stick, and the play was called.
TNT had a good chance in the midst of the NobleKing pressure. They carried the puck behind the Knight net, but the pass to the slot was tipped away by Frenette. Cameron scooped up the puck and fed it up to Mull, and then to Frenette who had jumped up. This led to some sustained pressure in the TNT zone, with Stanghieri trying to get the puck to Cameron and Mull in front. But the puck was cleared, and Beretta regrouped while the lines changed.
An attempt to get the puck deep into the TNT zone didn't work, and TNT had a two on one against Harknett. He tipped the puck away, and Berman sent the Knights away on a three on two. Brockie made a move around the defenseman with Harknett loose on the left side. The shot was deflected just wide.
Next shift, Mull blocked a clearing attempt on the half-boards. He sent it quickly over to Brockie, but his hard shot was saved as well. The TNT clearing attempt ended up at the point, and Harris stepped in with a hard wristshot while Brockie and Marchand screened at the crease.
Soon after this, TNT won a battle for the puck along the boards and had a three on two rush. Harknett turned his foot sideways, fearlessly blocking the shot. But this was the start of a mad scramble around the net.Netminder Ladisa had his stick knocked out of his hands and the puck was loose in the slot for long seconds. Harknett and Stanghieri both blocked shots, and Stanghieri slid out to the point to try to block another.
Ladisa finally found the loose puck and slapped his mitt over it as Harris and Harknett kept TNT away.
You could tell this was playoff hockey, as Frenette blocked a shot with his hand after the following faceoff. The puck was cleared but quickly brought back in by TNT. They could smell a goal. A slapshot went off Ladisa's mask into the corner and Stanghieri won the battle for the puck with a good body check.
The Knights turned the play around and started up the offense engine again. A good forecheck turned over a TNT clearing attempt, and Brockie drove toward the net. He dodged a check and sent a backhand to the target - but it was blocked. There were now nine and half minutes left.
Berman followed up Brockie's shot with a chance at the rebound, but TNT managed to get the puck out. Beretta gook possession and circled in his end. He bounced a pass up the boards to Marchand and he stepped over the TNT blue line. TNT's big defenseman had him lined up, but Marchand stepped around him - but the puck slid too far ahead, and was cleared to the corner. Marchand went after it, but paid the price as he was pounded into the end boards. Brockie scooped the puck out and tried a bad angle shot. The puck was then cleared.
TNT took a crosschecking penalty with 8:30 remaining. The score was still 3-0, but the pace was frantic. The Knights wanted to convert on the power play to extend their lead.
Mull won the faceoff cleanly back to Harknett, and his hard shot was deflected out of play. After the following faceoff, it took the Knights a while to get set up - then they applied great pressure until the penalty was about half over.
The puck was cleared, and Harris trapped it on the side boards at centre. He fed it to Brockie, who sent it quickly to Ladisa on the right side. Ladisa carried the puck in, but his wrist shot was blocked. Brockie got the loose puck, working his way to the left, but was unable to get a shot to the net. The puck was dumped out by TNT. By this time, the penalty had ended, but the Knights still wanted the goal.
Frenette got the puck in the neutral zone, and sent it back to Harris in the NobleKing end. Harris sent the puck to Ladisa who chipped it in to the TNT zone. Ladisa challenged the defenseman, who fired the puck up the boards. Marchand knocked the puck down and sent it to the corner, where Ladisa sent a pass to Beretta at the point. Beretta's snapshot was just over the crossbar. Marchand dug the puck out of the left corner and circled to the left hashmarks. He fired a low shot to the short side, and the Knights had their fourth goal with 6:24 left in the game.
The Knights quickly had another chance. Berman tipped the puck up to Ladisa and went to the TNT net. Ladisa slid the puck across the top of the crease and Berman put it just wide on the left side. Mull shook the puck loose in the left corner, getting it back to Ladisa. His shot left a rebound and Berman had another good chance.
TNT pinned the Knights in their zone briefly, but Harknett flipped the puck out. He sent Berman in a footrace with the defense, but the two got tangled and went down in the TNT slot.
At the next faceoff in the Knight zone, TNT won the draw. Cameron blocked the shot, and Brockie jumped up with a three on one. Brockie carried the puck in, and slid the puck behind the defenseman to Stanghieri. Stanghier snapped the puck in from the left hashmarks, and the Knights were up 5-0 with 4:19 remaining.
With less than four minutes left, Mull won another battle in the corner, and Ladisa emerged with the puck. He sent it to Harris at the point, and he tipped it over to Harknett. Harknett dumped the puck to the right corner, and Marchand picked it up. He crossed behind the net, and passed to the slot. Cameron tipped the puck to Ladisa, and he hammered it off the goaltender's pads. Ladisa got the puck back, and he and Mull tried to jam the biscuit in - but the TNT goaltender covered it up.
With just over three minutes left, Brockie won a faceoff in the left circle of the TNT zone. The puck came crisply back to Harris and slid the puck over to Harknett. His snapshot went off the charging winger to the corner. Stanghieri was quickly to the puck, sending back to Harris. Harris fired a snapshot and found the back of the net at 2:56.
Soon after this, TNT had a dangerous rush down the left side and Carmen Ladisa made a great save. Harris rifled the puck around the boards to clear it.
The Knight rush was broken up, but Stanghieri returned the favour, breaking up the TNT play. Harknett picked up the loose puck and was away. He passed to Stanghieri on the right half-boards and sent a slapshot to the net. The shot was stopped, but the rebound ended up behind the net. Harknett picked it up and slid it in front. Brockie's shot was stopped but Stanghieri buried the rebound at 2:07.
On the ensuing faceoff, Nick Ladisa sent the puck forward and powered his way into the TNT zone. The TNT defender tried to shoot the puck out, but Ladisa blocked it. Marchand picked up the loose puck and headed to the net. He was forced outside, but sent a backhand pass to the slot. Cameron deflected to Ladisa, and he pulled the puck to the right and slid it into the net at 1:56.
The Knights kept up the pressure in the closing minute and a half. TNT took a few runs at the NobleKing players as the clock wound down. As the seconds ticked off, the Knights dumped the puck out, and Mull tied it up in front of the TNT bench. Mull took some abuse, but his teammates were there quickly. The buzzer went as the scrum was wrapped up and misconducts were handed out.
The Knights had beaten TNT 8-0, winning the final series three games to none, and winning the Simcoe Region Minor Hockey League Championship.
There isn't too much to say about this one, other than that the team had gotten better and better as the playoffs went on. There was some definite passion in this game, demonstrated by the shot blocks, the work along the boards and in the corners, and the physical play of the Knights.
Watch for the videos and team photos to start to appear soon.
Chris Frenette started an early break play less than a minute into the game, sending the puck to Bryce Cameron at the blue line. Cameron carried the puck out and sent a long cross-ice pass to Lucas Stanghieri. He carried the puck into the TNT zone and hammered a shot just wide. The Knights were looking to get on the board early in this game.
TNT cleared the zone and got the puck deep into the NobleKing end. Mitch Harknett held for a few moments while the forwards changed, and then found Nicholas Ladisa at the left side of centre. Ladisa went down the left side and through the circle towards the goal line. Sean Marchand had joined the rush, going hard to the net.
Ladisa's pass went through the crease, and Marchand tried to take it on his forehand in tight. The pass hit his skate, and went in, putting the Knights on the board at 8:39 of the first.
The next line kept up the heat. Lucas Brockie won a faceoff in the Knight zone, and Cameron was there to knock the puck forward. Marcus Beretta stepped up to chip the puck out, and Stanghieri was away. He split the TNT defense at centre ice, earning himself a breakaway. The TNT goaltender was forced to make a good save. Jack Mull was first to the puck in the right corner of the TNT zone.
With about seven and a half minutes left, Frenette broke up a TNT rush, and turned up ice. He carried the puck behind the TNT net, trying a backhand pass to Stanghieri on the far side of the crease - but it was knocked away.
The Knights kept the puck in, and slapped it deep. Cameron got to the puck at the left side of the net, and he tried a quick backhand in close. It hit the side of the net, and Cameron recovered, curling around the back of the hemp hut.He send a backhand pass to Ladisa in the low slot, but it was blocked.
The puck ended up in the right corner, and Jacques Berman worked the boards along with Ladisa and Cameron before the puck was cleared out of the zone.
Berman was back quickly, and after Beretta broke up the TNT rush, Berman carried the puck back up ice. He stepped over centre and dished to Ladisa at the TNT blue line. Ladisa made a nifty move to get the puck in, and stepped to the top of the circle as Cameron headed to the net. Ladisa's pass was deflected to the corner, where Berman quickly sent it back to the crease, and Cameron had a good chance.
TNT mounted a rush back through the neutral zone, but Ladisa caught the forward and physically threw him off the puck. Ladisa then sent a nice bounce pass off the far boards to Berman on the left side. Berman carried the puck in, and turned to wait for troops.
The puck was cleared briefly, but dumped back in to the right corner of the TNT zone. A good forecheck resulted in a giveaway by the TNT defender. Brockie sent the puck down the right boards where Marchand picked it up in the corner. Marchand carried towards the back of the net, but stepped out on the short side where he put the puck off the post, and was knocked down.
The Knights kept up the tremendous pressure. It was clear they didn't want to play a fourth game.
Stanghieri got to the loose puck, feeding Frenette in the high slot. His one-timer went over the net. Marchand found the loose puck and backhanded back to the slot. Stanghieri's backhand was stymied by a good save, and TNT iced the puck.
The clock was approaching the midpoint of the period as Ladisa won the faceoff after the icing. Mull stepped towards the net, sending a backhand just over the crossbar. A scrum formed in the right corner, with Mull emerging with the biscuit.
Mull curled to the right point, around Beretta and shot the puck to the net. Ladisa deflected the shot, leaving Cameron with the puck in front. He shot once, and then buried his own rebound at 4:59. NobleKing was leading 2-0.
Netminder Carmen Ladisa had not been busy, but he had to be sharp. TNT won a faceoff in the Knight zone cleanly to the point, and Ladisa made a great save through a crowd.
But the NobleKing steamroller would not be denied for long. Harknett passed the puck up to Brockie from deep in the Knight zone. Brockie carried the puck into the TNT zone, where it was poked away. Berman scooped it up, sending a backhand pass to the edge of the crease. Stanghieri had a try, but it was Brockie who pounded the puck in at 3:44 of the first.
Soon after the faceoff at centre ice, Parker Harris found himself deep in the right hand NobleKing corner. He flipped the puck to the blue line, but the TNT forward chipped it away from the intended recipient.Harris moved quickly, picking up the puck and carrying it by the second winger at centre ice. The play turned into a two on two with Stanghieri. Harris tried a pass to Stanghieri, but the defender slapped it away - right back to Harris. He leaned into a slapshot which was blocked, and deflected to the corner.
There was some excitement in the NobleKing end soon after this. TNT got the puck deep, and the Knight clearing attempt was blocked at the point. The puck came back down to the Knight corner, and a quick pass to the blue paint went through the Knight defenseman's feet and off the skate of the TNT winger on the far edge of the crease. The puck ended up in the left corner, where the play was frozen.
NobleKing now found themselves pinned in their own end, finally dumping it out. As TNT tried to get back in, the Knights took a penalty. There was just over a minute left in the period, and TNT was itching to get on the board.
As usual, the penalty killing was excellent. A good forecheck by Cameron killed some time in the TNT zone. Once TNT got the puck into the Knight end, Harknett blocked a slapshot, and Ladisa made a follow-on save.
Harknett picked up the puck and carried it up the left side of the ice. He cut into the middle of the rink and entered the TNT zone, rocking a one on five. He killed some time before passing to Ladisa. Ladisa managed a one on four for several seconds, before finally sending the puck deep for a line change.
The period came to a close with the Knights up 3-0, and still killing a penalty.
NobleKing had some trouble at the start of the second. A clearing attempt was knocked down leaving a three on two against Beretta and Frenette. Mull and Ladisa were back quickly and the shot went wide. The puck was cleared, but was quickly back sent back in.
Mull did some good work in front of the net, helping to protect the crease as the puck came across. Goaltender Ladisa also made a solid save on the play.
TNT continued the pressure, hoping to open their scoring against NobleKing. TNT's next rush was a two on two. Beretta forced the winger outside, and Frenette tipped the pass across away from the charging TNT forward.
Frenette was first to the puck and he sent a stretch pass to Stanghieri as he came out of the penalty box. Stanghieri had a long breakaway, making a good move to the backhand - but the goaltender made a solid save.
Surviving the penalty swung the momentum back towards the Knights. The puck ended up in the left corner of the TNT zone, and there was a tough scramble for control. Marchand pulled the puck down from the half-boards, and deked through the defenseman's feet - but he lost an edge as he tried to step in front.
Cameron tried to get the puck to the crease, but he was hit by the defenseman. The puck went back to the corner, and this time it was Brockie who gathered it up. There was a hard battle in the corner, with Brockie getting hit in the chops. But Cameron came in to level the playing field - and the TNT winger.
The Knights took a penalty at 8:28, and were once again on the PK. But this was an excellent penalty kill. Early on, Stanghieri caught a rushing TNT winger and bodied him off the puck. The team was trapped briefly, but Brockie chipped the puck out and down the ice.
Forty-five seconds into the TNT power play, there was another rush, and this time Harris tipped the puck away from the rusher and pounded it down the ice. Brockie executed a solid forecheck as TNT tried to leave their own zone, and slid the puck ahead to Stanghieri, but the pass was blocked.
As TNT came up the ice this time, Stanghieri made a diving sweep check to take away the rush.
Harknett had a good rush while the Knights were short-handed. He had a one on one from centre ice in, but was well played by the defenseman to break up the play.
TNT dumped the puck in as the end of the power play approached. It took a hard bounce off the edge of the Zamboni door, and the puck ended up in the slot. Frenette was there to clear it back to the side boards, and Marchand got the puck out of the zone.
TNT tried to put together one last rush, but Marchand skated down the rusher and stripped him of the puck. A quick pass up to Ladisa sent the Knights back towards the TNT zone as the teams returned to even strength. Ladisa dumped the puck in, and Berman peeled it off the corner boards. A quick pass back to Ladisa, now at the crease, and the Knights had a good scoring chance - but it was denied and the zone was cleared.
TNT tried to dump the puck in, but Harris was quickly there to block the attempt. He then sent a good pass from from blue line to blue line, hitting Marchand in full stride. He stepped around the defenseman, rifling a wrist shot to the net.
TNT quickly turned the other way, and after making another good save, Ladisa covered the puck allowing a line change.
At the ensuing faceoff, the puck was bouncing. A quick TNT slapshot that hit a skate had five hole written all over it - but Ladisa made the save.
Brockie chipped the puck to Stanghieri as he rushed through the middle. Stanghieri tried a shot to the short side with Mull going to the crease, but the puck was blocked and came out to the top of the slot. Frenette one-timed the puck as Mull and Brockie screened, but the shot was deflected over the net.
Brockie now carried the puck out to the point and sent it back deep to the corner. Again there some rough play in the corner, and Frenette emerged with the puck. His wraparound attempt was blocked.
Despite their chances, the Knights were unable to score. TNT tried to take advantage of that to get back within reach with a good breakout. This set up a two one against Frenette. Frenette wouldn't give up the pass, and the puck carrier made a good move around Ladisa, challenging well out of the net. However the puck carrier slid the puck across the crease and wide.
With just under four minutes left, the Knights generated another chance. Ladisa executed a hard forecheck to keep the puck deep, and then bounced it off the boards to Berman in the right corner. Berman stepped out towards the net, firing a shot off the goaltender's pads. The rebound came to Harknett in the high slot, but it was saved.
Both teams took misconducts with 2:55 left in the second, as a mix-up in front of the benches started to get a bit nasty.
A following faceoff took place deep in the Knight end in the left circle. The puck was won back to the point, but Marchand got there to tip the puck by. Marchand and Stanghieri had a long two on one. Marchand backhanded a pass across the slot to Stanghieri, but it was tipped just out of his reach. But Brockie, trailing the play, stripped the puck from the defender trying to clear it. He sent a shot to the net.
Stanghieri picked up the loose puck and curled out for a shot. Marchand was at the edge of the crease for the screen. The TNT goaltender delivered a good slash and then kicked his feet out as the puck came across the crease. TNT took a penalty with 2:29 left in the second.
The faceoff deep in the TNT zone saw TNT try to clear the puck. But Frenette kept it in at the point, dumping it back in. Mull was the first one there, sending a quick pass to Stanghieri. The pass went through the crease but Cameron couldn't get a stick on it. Frenette was right behind him and had the chance for two shots.
The puck now went behind the net where Cameron and Mull battled for it. TNT took a penalty for interference in the scrum at 1:24. The penalty boxes were busy, with three players in the TNT box and one in the NobleKing box.
The ensuing faceoff came back to Beretta at the point. He passed over to Frenette with Stanghieri and Mull in front of the net. Mull earned the goaltender's wrath and then both Cameron and Mull went to the left corner to fight for the puck. The play was blown down.
The Knights had several good chances on the five on three. Harris' dump-in went off a shinpad right to Marchand. He sent a great backhand pass across the top of the zone to Harris in the high slot. His shot was blocked.
Harknett found his own rebound, passing to Brockie on the left side. His shot was tipped by Marchand, who then had another chance that went wide. Berman put the puck back in front before it was cleared.
The Knights had one last chance in the second. Netminder Ladisa came way out of his net, sending the puck off the boards to Harknett. Harknett sent the quick-up to Brockie at the TNT blue line. Berman and Brockie moved in, with Brockie taking the shot. Berman found the loose puck behind the net, but time expired in the second. Despite the offense, the Knights were unable to extend their 3-0 lead.
The Knights were quick off the mark in the third, with Mull pumping the puck into the TNT zone. Cameron was first on the forecheck, and then the two of them worked the corner. The puck was sent back to Beretta at the point, and he came in to the top of the right circle for a slapshot.
After the faceoff, Brockie won the puck cleanly to Marchand. He cut over to the middle but his snapshot was blocked. He picked up the loose puck and tried a backhand but it too was blocked.
Harknett was next on deck, carrying the puck out of his own zone, splitting the TNT defense, and getting a good forehand shot away from the left side.
On the ensuing faceoff, the puck came cleanly back to Harris. His slapshot was knocked down by a high stick, and the play was called.
TNT had a good chance in the midst of the NobleKing pressure. They carried the puck behind the Knight net, but the pass to the slot was tipped away by Frenette. Cameron scooped up the puck and fed it up to Mull, and then to Frenette who had jumped up. This led to some sustained pressure in the TNT zone, with Stanghieri trying to get the puck to Cameron and Mull in front. But the puck was cleared, and Beretta regrouped while the lines changed.
An attempt to get the puck deep into the TNT zone didn't work, and TNT had a two on one against Harknett. He tipped the puck away, and Berman sent the Knights away on a three on two. Brockie made a move around the defenseman with Harknett loose on the left side. The shot was deflected just wide.
Next shift, Mull blocked a clearing attempt on the half-boards. He sent it quickly over to Brockie, but his hard shot was saved as well. The TNT clearing attempt ended up at the point, and Harris stepped in with a hard wristshot while Brockie and Marchand screened at the crease.
Soon after this, TNT won a battle for the puck along the boards and had a three on two rush. Harknett turned his foot sideways, fearlessly blocking the shot. But this was the start of a mad scramble around the net.Netminder Ladisa had his stick knocked out of his hands and the puck was loose in the slot for long seconds. Harknett and Stanghieri both blocked shots, and Stanghieri slid out to the point to try to block another.
Ladisa finally found the loose puck and slapped his mitt over it as Harris and Harknett kept TNT away.
You could tell this was playoff hockey, as Frenette blocked a shot with his hand after the following faceoff. The puck was cleared but quickly brought back in by TNT. They could smell a goal. A slapshot went off Ladisa's mask into the corner and Stanghieri won the battle for the puck with a good body check.
The Knights turned the play around and started up the offense engine again. A good forecheck turned over a TNT clearing attempt, and Brockie drove toward the net. He dodged a check and sent a backhand to the target - but it was blocked. There were now nine and half minutes left.
Berman followed up Brockie's shot with a chance at the rebound, but TNT managed to get the puck out. Beretta gook possession and circled in his end. He bounced a pass up the boards to Marchand and he stepped over the TNT blue line. TNT's big defenseman had him lined up, but Marchand stepped around him - but the puck slid too far ahead, and was cleared to the corner. Marchand went after it, but paid the price as he was pounded into the end boards. Brockie scooped the puck out and tried a bad angle shot. The puck was then cleared.
TNT took a crosschecking penalty with 8:30 remaining. The score was still 3-0, but the pace was frantic. The Knights wanted to convert on the power play to extend their lead.
Mull won the faceoff cleanly back to Harknett, and his hard shot was deflected out of play. After the following faceoff, it took the Knights a while to get set up - then they applied great pressure until the penalty was about half over.
The puck was cleared, and Harris trapped it on the side boards at centre. He fed it to Brockie, who sent it quickly to Ladisa on the right side. Ladisa carried the puck in, but his wrist shot was blocked. Brockie got the loose puck, working his way to the left, but was unable to get a shot to the net. The puck was dumped out by TNT. By this time, the penalty had ended, but the Knights still wanted the goal.
Frenette got the puck in the neutral zone, and sent it back to Harris in the NobleKing end. Harris sent the puck to Ladisa who chipped it in to the TNT zone. Ladisa challenged the defenseman, who fired the puck up the boards. Marchand knocked the puck down and sent it to the corner, where Ladisa sent a pass to Beretta at the point. Beretta's snapshot was just over the crossbar. Marchand dug the puck out of the left corner and circled to the left hashmarks. He fired a low shot to the short side, and the Knights had their fourth goal with 6:24 left in the game.
The Knights quickly had another chance. Berman tipped the puck up to Ladisa and went to the TNT net. Ladisa slid the puck across the top of the crease and Berman put it just wide on the left side. Mull shook the puck loose in the left corner, getting it back to Ladisa. His shot left a rebound and Berman had another good chance.
TNT pinned the Knights in their zone briefly, but Harknett flipped the puck out. He sent Berman in a footrace with the defense, but the two got tangled and went down in the TNT slot.
At the next faceoff in the Knight zone, TNT won the draw. Cameron blocked the shot, and Brockie jumped up with a three on one. Brockie carried the puck in, and slid the puck behind the defenseman to Stanghieri. Stanghier snapped the puck in from the left hashmarks, and the Knights were up 5-0 with 4:19 remaining.
With less than four minutes left, Mull won another battle in the corner, and Ladisa emerged with the puck. He sent it to Harris at the point, and he tipped it over to Harknett. Harknett dumped the puck to the right corner, and Marchand picked it up. He crossed behind the net, and passed to the slot. Cameron tipped the puck to Ladisa, and he hammered it off the goaltender's pads. Ladisa got the puck back, and he and Mull tried to jam the biscuit in - but the TNT goaltender covered it up.
With just over three minutes left, Brockie won a faceoff in the left circle of the TNT zone. The puck came crisply back to Harris and slid the puck over to Harknett. His snapshot went off the charging winger to the corner. Stanghieri was quickly to the puck, sending back to Harris. Harris fired a snapshot and found the back of the net at 2:56.
Soon after this, TNT had a dangerous rush down the left side and Carmen Ladisa made a great save. Harris rifled the puck around the boards to clear it.
The Knight rush was broken up, but Stanghieri returned the favour, breaking up the TNT play. Harknett picked up the loose puck and was away. He passed to Stanghieri on the right half-boards and sent a slapshot to the net. The shot was stopped, but the rebound ended up behind the net. Harknett picked it up and slid it in front. Brockie's shot was stopped but Stanghieri buried the rebound at 2:07.
On the ensuing faceoff, Nick Ladisa sent the puck forward and powered his way into the TNT zone. The TNT defender tried to shoot the puck out, but Ladisa blocked it. Marchand picked up the loose puck and headed to the net. He was forced outside, but sent a backhand pass to the slot. Cameron deflected to Ladisa, and he pulled the puck to the right and slid it into the net at 1:56.
The Knights kept up the pressure in the closing minute and a half. TNT took a few runs at the NobleKing players as the clock wound down. As the seconds ticked off, the Knights dumped the puck out, and Mull tied it up in front of the TNT bench. Mull took some abuse, but his teammates were there quickly. The buzzer went as the scrum was wrapped up and misconducts were handed out.
The Knights had beaten TNT 8-0, winning the final series three games to none, and winning the Simcoe Region Minor Hockey League Championship.
There isn't too much to say about this one, other than that the team had gotten better and better as the playoffs went on. There was some definite passion in this game, demonstrated by the shot blocks, the work along the boards and in the corners, and the physical play of the Knights.
Watch for the videos and team photos to start to appear soon.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Round 3, Game 2 - 3-1 Win vs. TNT #2
Game two of the Simcoe Region Local League Championships followed the day after game one. The first meeting was penalty-filled and left both teams wondering what would happen in game two. As it turns out, this was a much cleaner game and more consistently officiated.
Early play was back and forth in the neutral zone, with both teams seeming unable to generate a crisp scoring chance. Chris Frenette started a good rush about a minute in, but was knocked off the puck as he approached the TNT blue line.
It was Mitch Harknett who had the first good scoring opportunity for either team. The Knights generated some good pressure in the TNT zone, and Harknett trapped a clearing attempt at the blue line. He stepped in to the top of the right circle, and delivered a good wrist shot that forced the TNT goaltender to make a tough save.
This seemed to get the Knights going. On the following faceoff, the puck was cleared into the left corner below the TNT goal line. Jacques Berman retrieved the biscuit and slid a pass to Nicholas Ladisa in the slot. He hammered a one-timer but the goaltender kicked the puck away.
TNT started to generate some offense of their own. They had a rush up the right side, and with just under eight minutes remaining in the first, Carmen Ladisa made his first big save of the game.
NobleKing rushed the loose puck to the TNT zone. It was sent to Marcus Beretta at the right point, and he fired a snapshot towards the left side of the net. Again the TNT goaltender's pad flashed out and made the save.
TNT turned the play towards the NobleKing zone as the clock passed the seven minute mark. TNT tried a jam play in the middle of a crowd at the Knight net, but Ladisa found the puck and forced a faceoff.
Nicholas Ladisa won the faceoff cleanly to Frenette. He carried the puck to the left size of the zone, and then sent a long cross-ice pass off the neutral zone boards to Berman. Berman picked up the puck and carried it across the TNT blue line now on a two on one with Sean Marchand.
Berman showed good patience, using his reach to slide the puck past the TNT defenseman to Marchand at the edge of the crease. Marchand snapped a shot between the blocker and body of the goaltender, and the Knights were on the board at 6:37 of the first.
TNT had a good chance soon after this. A faceoff in the NobleKing zone went back to the point. A hard slapshot was blocked by Frenette. The puck went around to the right side, and a quick pass to the slot found a TNT player all alone. Netminder Ladisa faced him down and the shot was deflected over the net.
Harknett followed this up with another shot block (there have been many of these in the playoffs) on a slapshot from the right point.
The Knights broke up the TNT pressure on a good breakout. Bryce Cameron received the puck off the boards on the left side of the NobleKing end, and quickly fed Lucas Stanghieri on the far side of the neutral zone. Stanghieri got the puck deep, and Lucas Brockie was the first player to get there.
Brockie sent the puck in front of the net, but it was tipped away from Cameron and Stanghieri.
With the play back in the NobleKing end, Marchand delivered a hip check below the Knight goal line to recover the puck. He slapped it up the boards to Nicholas Ladisa at the left point.
Ladisa and Berman rushed to the TNT zone, and to the net. Ladisa looked like he had the goalie beat as he slid the puck into the blue paint, but it appeared to hit the goalie's skate.
After the faceoff, Stanghieri found a loose puck, and pounded it through a crowd. But the goaltender managed to get a pad on the puck, and it went to the corner.
The Knights continued to press for a second goal. Cameron carried the puck into the TNT zone, and then dropped it for Brockie. Brockie got a quick shot away, but it didn't make it through the defense.
A hard backcheck by the Knights late in the first led to the first penalty of the game. The Knights spent the last ninety seconds of the opening frame shorthanded.
The penalty kill was solid. Harknett cleared the puck several times, and the Knights had two scoring chances before the period came to an end.
As the second period began, the Knights had thirty seconds of penalty killing to manage. Harknett sent the puck out of the zone and Berman was the first one to it in the neutral zone. He carried the play into the left side of the zone and passed to Brockie in the slot. But Brockie was tied up and couldn't get a shot away.
TNT had one more rush, but the shot was blocked as the Knights returned to even strength.
Brockie and Berman put together a good play soon after this. Berman carried the puck into the left side of the TNT zone, turning to pass back to Brockie near the blue line. Brockie sent the puck back to Berman at the left side of the net. Berman tried for Marchand in the slot, but the pass was blocked. Berman then sent the puck back to Brockie and he did get it through to Marchand. Marchand had two chances but couldn't score.
TNT cleared the zone, and almost had a breakaway rush. However Frenette tipped the puck over to the side boards, and Stanghieri levelled the TNT winger who tried to puck up the puck.
The play moved deep into the Knight zone now, with a tough battle working down the left side boards into the left corner. Beretta held the play along the boards and finally sent the puck behind the Knight net.
NobleKing now spent some time trapped in their own zone. Ladisa was forced to make several good saves, including a one-timer where he robbed the shooter. Stanghieri took possession on the side boards and snapped the puck down the ice to get a line change.
After the ensuing faceoff, the puck was cleared. Berman broke up a TNT play in the neutral zone, and Marchand and Brockie had a two on two. Marchand carried down the right side and hammered a shot off the TNT goalie's pads with Brockie at the crease.
On the next Knight rush, Cameron carried the puck in the right side, and again delivered a good drop pass, this time to Frenette. Frenette's shot left a rebound and Nicholas Ladisa tried to jam it under the goaltender. This also left a rebound and it was Cameron's turn now. He slid the puck across the blue paint, just out of Brockie's reach.
The Knights kept up the pressure, but at 4:35 took a penalty during a scrum to try to keep the puck in.
TNT started off their power play with a coast to coast rush, but Ladisa made a big save to keep TNT off the board. Harknett picked up the rebound and started a rush of his own. He chipped the puck by a TNT winger and carried the puck down the right side of the TNT zone. He sent a backhand pass across the crease, but nobody could get to it.
Harknett recovered his own pass in the left corner, and sifted through several players while killing some time. The puck eventually made its way to Brockie at the right circle, and his shot had the goaltender looking behind him to see if the puck was in the net.
TNT managed a late rush on the power play, but Frenette was back to get between the rusher and the puck, breaking up the play and turning it back up ice as the penalty time expired.
The Knights turned up the heat again, now back at even strength. Nicholas Ladisa did some solid work in NobleKing's right corner, getting the puck up to Stanghieri in neutral ice. He carried the puck down into the left TNT corner, where Ladisa joined him and drew a penalty with 2:09 left in the period.
The Knights didn't waste any time converting on this power play. Ladisa won the faceoff in the left TNT circle, and Stanghieri took possession. He slid the puck down the boards to Ladisa and went to the net.
Ladisa passed the puck back to Stanghieri, but the one-timer was stopped. Marchand backhanded the rebound to the net but this was also blocked. Ladisa joined the fray, and buried his shot to put the Knights up 2-0 with 1:56 left in the second.
TNT went back on the hunt, again forcing Ladisa to made a tough save through a crowd. The puck was cleared, with Brockie picking up the puck in the neutral zone. He carried the puck into the TNT zone but the defenseman caught him and forced him off the puck.
Cameron picked up the loose puck gave it back to Brockie. A quick pass across to Berman was tipped out of reach.
NobleKing had one last rush left in the second. Beretta cleared the puck out of the NobleKing zone, and then stepped up to carry it to the TNT end. He was forced off the puck near the left TNT circle, and finished his rush by delivering a punishing check to the TNT defender.
The puck came back to the point where Berman held it in for one last chance.
The play was broken up, and time expired in the second period with NobleKing leading 2-0.
This had been an entertaining game so far, and it looked like an exciting third period was on deck. TNT did not disappoint.
TNT stopped an early NobleKing rush, and turned the puck up ice.The TNT play was stopped on the left side of the NobleKing zone. The puck was tapped back to the left point, and a seeing eye shot through a crowd found its way to the top left corner of the NobleKing net. TNT was within one with fourteen and a half minutes left in the game.
Following the early goal, a point to point pass by TNT in the Knight zone was tipped out, and Berman chased the TNT defenseman down the left side of the rink. The two players battled along the boards in front of the TNT bench and Berman hit the padded end of the glass at a pretty good speed. He went down hard but was okay.
The Knights started getting their usual pressure back now. They put together a string of chances, hoping to regain their two goal lead.
A faceoff win by Brockie from the left circle came back cleanly to the left point. Frenette's slapshot was saved and TNT cleared the puck. Frenette hunted down the loose puck, and sent a long cross-ice pass to Stanghieri. He carried the puck across the high slot, and got a quick shot away. Again the zone was cleared.
This time Cameron tracked the puck down, and sent a stretch pass to Nicholas Ladisa. His shot was saved, but the Knights held TNT pinned in their end. The puck came to Harknett at the point, and he hammered a shot over the net.
Ladisa retrieved the puck in the corner and fed Beretta, cheating into the high slot. The goalie made a good save on Beretta's one-timer, and the play was stopped.
TNT pushed back, rushing to the NobleKing zone. A booming slapshot was fearlessly blocked by Harknett.
Soon after this, Stanghieri led a rush up the left side. He cut across the high slot, sliding the puck ahead to Marchand. Marchand went to the right side of the hashmarks, and fed the puck across the the left side of the crease. Brockie just missed burying the backhand.
The puck came back out, and TNT tried to flip it down the ice. Frenette knocked it down and started up the ice. He powered his way deep into the TNT zone, and passed in front to Stanghieri. He rifled the puck into the net at 10:06 to restore the two goal lead.
The Knights quickly had another chance, with Berman digging the puck out of the TNT corner and feeding Cameron at the side of the net - but he was well covered by the defenseman.
TNT was not out of the running. A two on two rush was well played by the Knight defense, with Harknett forcing the rusher wide. He made a pass back to the trailer, and goaltender Ladisa made a great save on a hard one-timer slapshot.
A faceoff soon after this in the NobleKing end was won back to the point by TNT, and Ladisa had to be sharp again.
After the ensuing faceoff, Cameron forced the puck out at the left point, and Nicholas Ladisa rushed the puck to the TNT end. His hard shot was just over the net. On the rush back the other way, NobleKing took a penalty breaking up the play.
The Knights were again excellent on the penalty kill. Stanghieri carried the puck around the TNT zone and then passed back to Harknett at centre ice. Harknett pounded the puck deep into the zone.
TNT had one exciting chance on a power play rush. A pass across the slot was one-timed, but Ladisa again made an excellent save.
With just over two minutes left, the puck came around the boards in the NobleKing end to the defenseman. He lost the puck in his feet, and Stanghieri charged, chipping the puck by. Stanghieri had a breakaway from centre ice, with a defenseman in hot pursuit. As Stanghieri prepared to shoot, he was hauled down from behind, resulting in the Knights being awarded a penalty shot at 2:19.
The goaltender made a good save to keep the score at 3-1. The Knights successfully killed their penalty and the teams were back at even strength at 1:28.
Both teams had chances in the closing seconds, and the Knights took a penalty with four seconds remaining. However there was no further scoring. The final tally was 3-1 for the Knights.
This was a much cleaner game and was entertaining to watch. Both teams had good pressure. The Knights played well with a short bench (two lines and three defense), and were looking forward to try to close out the series in game 3.
Early play was back and forth in the neutral zone, with both teams seeming unable to generate a crisp scoring chance. Chris Frenette started a good rush about a minute in, but was knocked off the puck as he approached the TNT blue line.
It was Mitch Harknett who had the first good scoring opportunity for either team. The Knights generated some good pressure in the TNT zone, and Harknett trapped a clearing attempt at the blue line. He stepped in to the top of the right circle, and delivered a good wrist shot that forced the TNT goaltender to make a tough save.
This seemed to get the Knights going. On the following faceoff, the puck was cleared into the left corner below the TNT goal line. Jacques Berman retrieved the biscuit and slid a pass to Nicholas Ladisa in the slot. He hammered a one-timer but the goaltender kicked the puck away.
TNT started to generate some offense of their own. They had a rush up the right side, and with just under eight minutes remaining in the first, Carmen Ladisa made his first big save of the game.
NobleKing rushed the loose puck to the TNT zone. It was sent to Marcus Beretta at the right point, and he fired a snapshot towards the left side of the net. Again the TNT goaltender's pad flashed out and made the save.
TNT turned the play towards the NobleKing zone as the clock passed the seven minute mark. TNT tried a jam play in the middle of a crowd at the Knight net, but Ladisa found the puck and forced a faceoff.
Nicholas Ladisa won the faceoff cleanly to Frenette. He carried the puck to the left size of the zone, and then sent a long cross-ice pass off the neutral zone boards to Berman. Berman picked up the puck and carried it across the TNT blue line now on a two on one with Sean Marchand.
Berman showed good patience, using his reach to slide the puck past the TNT defenseman to Marchand at the edge of the crease. Marchand snapped a shot between the blocker and body of the goaltender, and the Knights were on the board at 6:37 of the first.
TNT had a good chance soon after this. A faceoff in the NobleKing zone went back to the point. A hard slapshot was blocked by Frenette. The puck went around to the right side, and a quick pass to the slot found a TNT player all alone. Netminder Ladisa faced him down and the shot was deflected over the net.
Harknett followed this up with another shot block (there have been many of these in the playoffs) on a slapshot from the right point.
The Knights broke up the TNT pressure on a good breakout. Bryce Cameron received the puck off the boards on the left side of the NobleKing end, and quickly fed Lucas Stanghieri on the far side of the neutral zone. Stanghieri got the puck deep, and Lucas Brockie was the first player to get there.
Brockie sent the puck in front of the net, but it was tipped away from Cameron and Stanghieri.
With the play back in the NobleKing end, Marchand delivered a hip check below the Knight goal line to recover the puck. He slapped it up the boards to Nicholas Ladisa at the left point.
Ladisa and Berman rushed to the TNT zone, and to the net. Ladisa looked like he had the goalie beat as he slid the puck into the blue paint, but it appeared to hit the goalie's skate.
After the faceoff, Stanghieri found a loose puck, and pounded it through a crowd. But the goaltender managed to get a pad on the puck, and it went to the corner.
The Knights continued to press for a second goal. Cameron carried the puck into the TNT zone, and then dropped it for Brockie. Brockie got a quick shot away, but it didn't make it through the defense.
A hard backcheck by the Knights late in the first led to the first penalty of the game. The Knights spent the last ninety seconds of the opening frame shorthanded.
The penalty kill was solid. Harknett cleared the puck several times, and the Knights had two scoring chances before the period came to an end.
As the second period began, the Knights had thirty seconds of penalty killing to manage. Harknett sent the puck out of the zone and Berman was the first one to it in the neutral zone. He carried the play into the left side of the zone and passed to Brockie in the slot. But Brockie was tied up and couldn't get a shot away.
TNT had one more rush, but the shot was blocked as the Knights returned to even strength.
Brockie and Berman put together a good play soon after this. Berman carried the puck into the left side of the TNT zone, turning to pass back to Brockie near the blue line. Brockie sent the puck back to Berman at the left side of the net. Berman tried for Marchand in the slot, but the pass was blocked. Berman then sent the puck back to Brockie and he did get it through to Marchand. Marchand had two chances but couldn't score.
TNT cleared the zone, and almost had a breakaway rush. However Frenette tipped the puck over to the side boards, and Stanghieri levelled the TNT winger who tried to puck up the puck.
The play moved deep into the Knight zone now, with a tough battle working down the left side boards into the left corner. Beretta held the play along the boards and finally sent the puck behind the Knight net.
NobleKing now spent some time trapped in their own zone. Ladisa was forced to make several good saves, including a one-timer where he robbed the shooter. Stanghieri took possession on the side boards and snapped the puck down the ice to get a line change.
After the ensuing faceoff, the puck was cleared. Berman broke up a TNT play in the neutral zone, and Marchand and Brockie had a two on two. Marchand carried down the right side and hammered a shot off the TNT goalie's pads with Brockie at the crease.
On the next Knight rush, Cameron carried the puck in the right side, and again delivered a good drop pass, this time to Frenette. Frenette's shot left a rebound and Nicholas Ladisa tried to jam it under the goaltender. This also left a rebound and it was Cameron's turn now. He slid the puck across the blue paint, just out of Brockie's reach.
The Knights kept up the pressure, but at 4:35 took a penalty during a scrum to try to keep the puck in.
TNT started off their power play with a coast to coast rush, but Ladisa made a big save to keep TNT off the board. Harknett picked up the rebound and started a rush of his own. He chipped the puck by a TNT winger and carried the puck down the right side of the TNT zone. He sent a backhand pass across the crease, but nobody could get to it.
Harknett recovered his own pass in the left corner, and sifted through several players while killing some time. The puck eventually made its way to Brockie at the right circle, and his shot had the goaltender looking behind him to see if the puck was in the net.
TNT managed a late rush on the power play, but Frenette was back to get between the rusher and the puck, breaking up the play and turning it back up ice as the penalty time expired.
The Knights turned up the heat again, now back at even strength. Nicholas Ladisa did some solid work in NobleKing's right corner, getting the puck up to Stanghieri in neutral ice. He carried the puck down into the left TNT corner, where Ladisa joined him and drew a penalty with 2:09 left in the period.
The Knights didn't waste any time converting on this power play. Ladisa won the faceoff in the left TNT circle, and Stanghieri took possession. He slid the puck down the boards to Ladisa and went to the net.
Ladisa passed the puck back to Stanghieri, but the one-timer was stopped. Marchand backhanded the rebound to the net but this was also blocked. Ladisa joined the fray, and buried his shot to put the Knights up 2-0 with 1:56 left in the second.
TNT went back on the hunt, again forcing Ladisa to made a tough save through a crowd. The puck was cleared, with Brockie picking up the puck in the neutral zone. He carried the puck into the TNT zone but the defenseman caught him and forced him off the puck.
Cameron picked up the loose puck gave it back to Brockie. A quick pass across to Berman was tipped out of reach.
NobleKing had one last rush left in the second. Beretta cleared the puck out of the NobleKing zone, and then stepped up to carry it to the TNT end. He was forced off the puck near the left TNT circle, and finished his rush by delivering a punishing check to the TNT defender.
The puck came back to the point where Berman held it in for one last chance.
The play was broken up, and time expired in the second period with NobleKing leading 2-0.
This had been an entertaining game so far, and it looked like an exciting third period was on deck. TNT did not disappoint.
TNT stopped an early NobleKing rush, and turned the puck up ice.The TNT play was stopped on the left side of the NobleKing zone. The puck was tapped back to the left point, and a seeing eye shot through a crowd found its way to the top left corner of the NobleKing net. TNT was within one with fourteen and a half minutes left in the game.
Following the early goal, a point to point pass by TNT in the Knight zone was tipped out, and Berman chased the TNT defenseman down the left side of the rink. The two players battled along the boards in front of the TNT bench and Berman hit the padded end of the glass at a pretty good speed. He went down hard but was okay.
The Knights started getting their usual pressure back now. They put together a string of chances, hoping to regain their two goal lead.
A faceoff win by Brockie from the left circle came back cleanly to the left point. Frenette's slapshot was saved and TNT cleared the puck. Frenette hunted down the loose puck, and sent a long cross-ice pass to Stanghieri. He carried the puck across the high slot, and got a quick shot away. Again the zone was cleared.
This time Cameron tracked the puck down, and sent a stretch pass to Nicholas Ladisa. His shot was saved, but the Knights held TNT pinned in their end. The puck came to Harknett at the point, and he hammered a shot over the net.
Ladisa retrieved the puck in the corner and fed Beretta, cheating into the high slot. The goalie made a good save on Beretta's one-timer, and the play was stopped.
TNT pushed back, rushing to the NobleKing zone. A booming slapshot was fearlessly blocked by Harknett.
Soon after this, Stanghieri led a rush up the left side. He cut across the high slot, sliding the puck ahead to Marchand. Marchand went to the right side of the hashmarks, and fed the puck across the the left side of the crease. Brockie just missed burying the backhand.
The puck came back out, and TNT tried to flip it down the ice. Frenette knocked it down and started up the ice. He powered his way deep into the TNT zone, and passed in front to Stanghieri. He rifled the puck into the net at 10:06 to restore the two goal lead.
The Knights quickly had another chance, with Berman digging the puck out of the TNT corner and feeding Cameron at the side of the net - but he was well covered by the defenseman.
TNT was not out of the running. A two on two rush was well played by the Knight defense, with Harknett forcing the rusher wide. He made a pass back to the trailer, and goaltender Ladisa made a great save on a hard one-timer slapshot.
A faceoff soon after this in the NobleKing end was won back to the point by TNT, and Ladisa had to be sharp again.
After the ensuing faceoff, Cameron forced the puck out at the left point, and Nicholas Ladisa rushed the puck to the TNT end. His hard shot was just over the net. On the rush back the other way, NobleKing took a penalty breaking up the play.
The Knights were again excellent on the penalty kill. Stanghieri carried the puck around the TNT zone and then passed back to Harknett at centre ice. Harknett pounded the puck deep into the zone.
TNT had one exciting chance on a power play rush. A pass across the slot was one-timed, but Ladisa again made an excellent save.
With just over two minutes left, the puck came around the boards in the NobleKing end to the defenseman. He lost the puck in his feet, and Stanghieri charged, chipping the puck by. Stanghieri had a breakaway from centre ice, with a defenseman in hot pursuit. As Stanghieri prepared to shoot, he was hauled down from behind, resulting in the Knights being awarded a penalty shot at 2:19.
The goaltender made a good save to keep the score at 3-1. The Knights successfully killed their penalty and the teams were back at even strength at 1:28.
Both teams had chances in the closing seconds, and the Knights took a penalty with four seconds remaining. However there was no further scoring. The final tally was 3-1 for the Knights.
This was a much cleaner game and was entertaining to watch. Both teams had good pressure. The Knights played well with a short bench (two lines and three defense), and were looking forward to try to close out the series in game 3.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Round 3, Game 1 - 7-0 Win vs. TNT #2
NobleKing 2 entered the Championship final paired against TNT 2. TNT had won the round-robin second round, eliminating the only two teams to have beaten NobleKing during the regular season - Oak Ridges 1 and NobleKing 1.
NobleKing came out quickly, getting off to a faster start than usual. They spent much of the first minute in the TNT end. Chris Frenette led a coast-to-coast rush just over a minute in, getting a good shot away, but the TNT goaltender made the save. NobleKing knew this netminder well, and they knew he had would aggressively keep the front of his net clear.
Nicholas Ladisa won the follow-on faceoff in the left circle. Mitch Harknett dug the puck out and gave it back to Ladisa as he drove towards the left side of the net. Ladisa's low backhand slid under the goaltender, and the Knights were up 1-0 with 8:37 left in the first.
After the centre ice faceoff Patrick Warner sent a quick pass up the boards to Harknett. Harknett forwarded the puck to Ladisa and he had another good chance.
The puck came around to the right point and Parker Harris sent a shot to the net, where it was tipped by Harknett. This was very good pressure by NobleKing early on.
The next line generated some offense of their own. Frenette sent a low shot to the net and Lucas Stanghieri whirled to redirect the shot. The puck again came around to the point and this time it was Marcus Beretta with a slapshot off the pads of the TNT netminder.
As the clock passed the seven minute mark, Jacques Berman rushed and carried the puck across centre. He sent a pass to Stanghieri who stepped across the TNT blue line and faked a shot Stanghieri then delivered a pass to Frenette, who stepped into a slapshot. The TNT goaltender made the save.
The Knights then got into a little trouble in their own end. The end result was a penalty at 5:57.
TNT applied some solid pressure on the power play, rocking a few NobleKing penalty-killers with good hits. The Knight penalty kill did get going however, and NobleKing delivered a few hits of their own. Beretta broke up a TNT rush with a good hit along the boards in front of the bench to break up a rush.
The turnover saw Harknett and Ladisa carry out a dangerous short-handed rush to the TNT crease, but the netminder turned the shot aside.
The Knights successfully killed the penalty. As the Knights returned to even strength, Patrick Warner led a rush to the TNT zone. He was hooked off the puck, but Ladisa was there to take the shot.
Although much of the first period play was in the TNT end, Carmen Ladisa was busy between the NobleKing pipes as well.
The defense was also working hard to keep the TNT rushers out of the NobleKing zone.
TNT put together a good rush, but speedy Frenette was back to body him off the puck.
TNT took a penalty with 3:39 left in the opening frame, and NobleKing took advantage of the opportunity to score a power-play goal. Netminder Ladisa fed a crisp pass to Frenette at the NobleKing blue line. He turned and carried up the right side, cut into the centre of the zone, and to the net. Frenette's backhand shot was saved, but Lucas Brockie was there to bang in the rebound at 2:48.
TNT was still working hard. The sent a long pass to the neutral zone, setting up a two on one.Ladisa made a good save, with the puck ending up in the high slot. The loose biscuit was chopped up by a TNT forward, and bounced off the top of the net. A wild scrum ensued, but Ladisa found the puck and covered it.
TNT took their second penalty with 1:34 left in the first. The Knights had great pressure on this power play. Sean Marchand and Brockie worked in a faceoff scrum in right circle, and Brockie launched a rocket snapshot out of the crowd. But the goaltender made the save.
Harris delivered a slapshot from the point. It was blocked, but Marchand found the loose puck and tried a quick shot. Brockie got the rebound at the left side of the net, and fed it back in front to Stanghieri. His shot was off his stick and in - but the goal was disallowed as the net was off.
Soon after this, Harknett had an end to end rush. He beat the defenseman on the right side, and powered towards the net. Frenette made a couple of quick moves, trying to drag the puck in the short side of the net. But the goaltender had his pad down for the save.
A late rush by Beretta got the puck to the TNT blue line, where he sent the puck to Frenette for a final late shot. The score at the end of the first period was 2-0 for NobleKing.
The Knights didn't lose any steam at the start of the second period. In the first minute, Lucas Brockie tried a jam play with Bryce Cameron in front of the net.
The puck was cleared to the neutral zone, and Harris took possession. He sent a pass cross-ice to Stanghieri at the right side of the TNT blue line. Stanghieri stepped back over the blue line, and beat the goaltender cleanly through the five hole along the ice. The Knights were up 3-0 with 8:58 left in the second.
The next line followed up with more pressure. A faceoff win in the TNT zone came back to Frenette at the left point. His shot was tipped just wide by Harknett. Marchand recovered on the right side of the net, and passed to Nick Ladisa at the edge of the crease, but his shot was stopped.
NobleKing took a penalty at the 8:09 mark and TNT followed suit with a five minute penalty only twelve seconds later. Neither team scored during the four on four play, and NobleKing had a three minute power play.
A faceoff deep in the NobleKing zone led to a two on two rush. Harknett sent a lead pass just ahead of Marchand, but he couldn't capture the puck and icing was called. The faceoff came back to the NobleKing zone, and Harknett and Marchand got a do-over. This time Marchand got to the pass, behind the left defenseman. Harknett went to the net, and Marchand sent a backhand pass across to him at the right circle. Harknett's hard one-time shot was saved by the TNT goaltender, who had been playing well.
The NobleKing pressure soon led to another opportunity. Frenette chipped the puck out of the NobleKing end into the neutral zone. Stanghieri chipped the puck past the defender, and then drove to the net.
Stanghieri was hauled down and the loose puck went to Brockie. Brockie's snapped a hard shot, but the goaltender made the save as Stanghieri ended up in the net. TNT was assessed a penalty at 5:10, leading to an extended period of five on three play.
The heat was on now. Nick Ladisa gained position of the puck in the right corner of the TNT zone. He sent the puck to Marchand at the right point. Marchand snapped the puck back down the boards, and it came to Harknett behind the net. Harknett found Warner at the left point, and he loaded up the cannon. The shot was tipped just wide by Cameron, and Ladisa was first to the puck in the right corner. He came out to the halfboards and found Warner at the top of the left circle.
This time the rebound came out to Marchand at the right point. He stepped into hard low slapshot, and it was tipped just over the net and out of play.
TNT successfully killed their first penalty, and the play was again five on four with 3:10 left in the second.
The lines changed, and now it was Berman, Brockie and Stanghieri down low, with Beretta and Frenette at the point. TNT tried to clear the puck, but Brockie dove and swept it back in. Stanghieri recovered in the right corner, and fed Frenette at the left point. His shot went into a crowd and was deflected wide on the right side.
The puck was sent back to the high slot where Beretta hammered it towards the net. The blocked shot was retrieved by Brockie who curled out to the top of the circles His snapshot was also saved, but came right back to him. Brockie passed to Stanghieri at the left side of the net. He tried to sneak the puck in the short side, and then carried the play behind the net.
The wraparound attempt was stopped. Berman tried to jam the loose puck in, but it was Brockie who buried the rebound at 3:02 for a power-play goal.
The teams were finally back at even strength with 2:57 left in the second period. The play was getting a little uglier now, as TNT stepped up their physical game. The Knights got trapped in their own end for an extended period as the clock dropped below a minute. Finally the team got the puck out and down the ice.
Fresh troops got into the play and the Knights set up in the TNT end as time wound down in the period. Harknett recovered the puck in the TNT corner, and sent it to Warner at the left point. Warner then sent it back to Harknett, now at the right point. Harknett pounded a shot just wide, and the puck rattled around the boards and out. Harris faced down a late two on one, breaking it up at his own blue line. NobleKing was leading 4-0 after two periods.
NobleKing scored an early goal in the third. This resulted from a good defensive play in their own end. Harris blocked a hard shot less then ten seconds into the period. TNT dumped the puck back in, but Warner took possession and sent a pass from the NobleKing blue line to Harknett at centre ice. Harknett paid it forward up to Nick Ladisa on the right side. Ladisa drove to the TNT slot and put a shot off the goaltender's pads. But Harknett was there for the rebound and he flipped it over the goaltender's pad at 14:31 of the final frame.
Ladisa set up another chance soon after this, rushing from deep in his own end to the right side of the net. He put a backhand pass across to Berman at the other side of the net, but the goaltender made a nice save on the shot.
Berman got to the loose puck in the corner, and carried up the left side boards before passing it back to the slot. But the play was broken up.
The Knights were on their usual early third period roll now. Soon after this, Stanghieri flipped a loose puck up to Cameron at centre ice. Cameron and Brockie rushed across the TNT blue line, where Cameron slid the puck over to Brockie and went to the net. Brockie's shot went through the goaltender for the Knights' sixth goal at 13:36.
TNT put together another rush right after goal, testing Carmen Ladisa. But he was up against the post, and made the save.
The play got scrappy again now. Frenette made a good check on a TNT rusher as he tried to split the defense. Both teams started mixing it up, and TNT eventually received a penalty at 11:55.
At this point, NobleKing had had enough of people taking runs at them and started hitting. TNT took a four minute penalty for head contact at 10:47. This gave NobleKing a five on three advantage for 53 seconds.
NobleKing applied good pressure, with several shots from the point. However, TNT was stepping up and blocking shots to protect their goalie.
When the first TNT player came out of the penalty box at 9:55, he promptly ran down Warner from behind. The play continued until 9:27, when TNT took possession and another penalty was called.
This led to more five on three play. A slapshot by Warner came off the end boards, and Berman tried to jam it in. Stanghieri fed Warner at the left point, and he sent a nifty backhand across to Harris. His slapshot was high and caught by the goaltender.
A penalty was called at 8:24 by the linesman well after the play. Warner was preparing to receive the puck at the point and was charged by the winger. Warner protected himself and got the better of the collision.. NobleKing received a five minute penalty, and two TNT players were ejected from the game at the same time. The end result was a four on three advantage for NobleKing.
With a lot of open ice, things were interesting. A faceoff in the TNT end was won cleanly back to Harris at the right point. He slid the puck over to Frenette on the left side and he stepped in with Cameron in the slot screening. Frenette slid the puck across to Nick Ladisa and he buried the shot at 8:17. This was another power play goal for the Knights.
This put the teams back at even strength - four on four.
At 6:47, TNT's penalty ended, and NobleKing was now short-handed. Stanghieri had a good lone ranger while on the penalty kill, beating the defense wide and cutting in. The shot was saved, but some time had been burnt off the clock.
After breaking up the next TNT rush, NobleKing dumped the puck deep, and a good forecheck by Cameron separated the defenseman from the puck.
TNT had not gotten much going on the power play so far, but the Knights received another penalty with 5:02 left in regulation leaving them two men short for a minute and a half.
The frustration of TNT was becoming evident. With four minutes left, Harris pulled the puck off the boards in his own end and cleared it the length of the ice. The TNT defenseman was so anxious to hit Harris, he levelled his own player.
The Knights successfully killed off the five on three, and short five on four before returning to full strength at 3:24. TNT did not have many good chances during the extended power play. NobleKing kept getting the puck deep into the TNT zone, and breaking up plays in the neutral zone. This was a good thing, as NobleKing received one final penalty with 2:36 remaining as a result of a scrum in front of the TNT bench.
With under two minutes left in the game, Marchand picked up a loose puck in the NobleKing slot, turned and flipped it up the ice. The puck landed just ahead of Berman at centre ice, and he had a short breakaway after catching the puck at the top of the circles in the TNT zone. The TNT goaltender came out to challenge and made a nice sweep check.
The Knights continued to defend their zone effectively during the penalty kill. Harris blocked another shot (his third of the game at least), breaking up a rush as the Knights successfully killed their final penalty.
A turnover in the neutral zone with under twenty seconds left resulted in a two on one with Harris defending. Stanghieri made a good backcheck, poking the puck away into the corner. He took possession there and protected the puck until the buzzer went, and receiving a late hit for his trouble. The Knights won 7-0.
This was a nasty game. The Knights had one player injured and another ejected, while TNT had three players ejected. The Knights were good on the penalty kill, and had to be. The remainder of the series should be interesting to say the least.
The pictures for this game are here: Round 3, Game 1: TNT 2.
NobleKing came out quickly, getting off to a faster start than usual. They spent much of the first minute in the TNT end. Chris Frenette led a coast-to-coast rush just over a minute in, getting a good shot away, but the TNT goaltender made the save. NobleKing knew this netminder well, and they knew he had would aggressively keep the front of his net clear.
Nicholas Ladisa won the follow-on faceoff in the left circle. Mitch Harknett dug the puck out and gave it back to Ladisa as he drove towards the left side of the net. Ladisa's low backhand slid under the goaltender, and the Knights were up 1-0 with 8:37 left in the first.
After the centre ice faceoff Patrick Warner sent a quick pass up the boards to Harknett. Harknett forwarded the puck to Ladisa and he had another good chance.
The puck came around to the right point and Parker Harris sent a shot to the net, where it was tipped by Harknett. This was very good pressure by NobleKing early on.
The next line generated some offense of their own. Frenette sent a low shot to the net and Lucas Stanghieri whirled to redirect the shot. The puck again came around to the point and this time it was Marcus Beretta with a slapshot off the pads of the TNT netminder.
As the clock passed the seven minute mark, Jacques Berman rushed and carried the puck across centre. He sent a pass to Stanghieri who stepped across the TNT blue line and faked a shot Stanghieri then delivered a pass to Frenette, who stepped into a slapshot. The TNT goaltender made the save.
The Knights then got into a little trouble in their own end. The end result was a penalty at 5:57.
TNT applied some solid pressure on the power play, rocking a few NobleKing penalty-killers with good hits. The Knight penalty kill did get going however, and NobleKing delivered a few hits of their own. Beretta broke up a TNT rush with a good hit along the boards in front of the bench to break up a rush.
The turnover saw Harknett and Ladisa carry out a dangerous short-handed rush to the TNT crease, but the netminder turned the shot aside.
The Knights successfully killed the penalty. As the Knights returned to even strength, Patrick Warner led a rush to the TNT zone. He was hooked off the puck, but Ladisa was there to take the shot.
Although much of the first period play was in the TNT end, Carmen Ladisa was busy between the NobleKing pipes as well.
The defense was also working hard to keep the TNT rushers out of the NobleKing zone.
TNT put together a good rush, but speedy Frenette was back to body him off the puck.
TNT took a penalty with 3:39 left in the opening frame, and NobleKing took advantage of the opportunity to score a power-play goal. Netminder Ladisa fed a crisp pass to Frenette at the NobleKing blue line. He turned and carried up the right side, cut into the centre of the zone, and to the net. Frenette's backhand shot was saved, but Lucas Brockie was there to bang in the rebound at 2:48.
TNT was still working hard. The sent a long pass to the neutral zone, setting up a two on one.Ladisa made a good save, with the puck ending up in the high slot. The loose biscuit was chopped up by a TNT forward, and bounced off the top of the net. A wild scrum ensued, but Ladisa found the puck and covered it.
TNT took their second penalty with 1:34 left in the first. The Knights had great pressure on this power play. Sean Marchand and Brockie worked in a faceoff scrum in right circle, and Brockie launched a rocket snapshot out of the crowd. But the goaltender made the save.
Soon after this, Harknett had an end to end rush. He beat the defenseman on the right side, and powered towards the net. Frenette made a couple of quick moves, trying to drag the puck in the short side of the net. But the goaltender had his pad down for the save.
A late rush by Beretta got the puck to the TNT blue line, where he sent the puck to Frenette for a final late shot. The score at the end of the first period was 2-0 for NobleKing.
The Knights didn't lose any steam at the start of the second period. In the first minute, Lucas Brockie tried a jam play with Bryce Cameron in front of the net.
The puck was cleared to the neutral zone, and Harris took possession. He sent a pass cross-ice to Stanghieri at the right side of the TNT blue line. Stanghieri stepped back over the blue line, and beat the goaltender cleanly through the five hole along the ice. The Knights were up 3-0 with 8:58 left in the second.
NobleKing took a penalty at the 8:09 mark and TNT followed suit with a five minute penalty only twelve seconds later. Neither team scored during the four on four play, and NobleKing had a three minute power play.
A faceoff deep in the NobleKing zone led to a two on two rush. Harknett sent a lead pass just ahead of Marchand, but he couldn't capture the puck and icing was called. The faceoff came back to the NobleKing zone, and Harknett and Marchand got a do-over. This time Marchand got to the pass, behind the left defenseman. Harknett went to the net, and Marchand sent a backhand pass across to him at the right circle. Harknett's hard one-time shot was saved by the TNT goaltender, who had been playing well.
The NobleKing pressure soon led to another opportunity. Frenette chipped the puck out of the NobleKing end into the neutral zone. Stanghieri chipped the puck past the defender, and then drove to the net.
Stanghieri was hauled down and the loose puck went to Brockie. Brockie's snapped a hard shot, but the goaltender made the save as Stanghieri ended up in the net. TNT was assessed a penalty at 5:10, leading to an extended period of five on three play.
The heat was on now. Nick Ladisa gained position of the puck in the right corner of the TNT zone. He sent the puck to Marchand at the right point. Marchand snapped the puck back down the boards, and it came to Harknett behind the net. Harknett found Warner at the left point, and he loaded up the cannon. The shot was tipped just wide by Cameron, and Ladisa was first to the puck in the right corner. He came out to the halfboards and found Warner at the top of the left circle.
This time the rebound came out to Marchand at the right point. He stepped into hard low slapshot, and it was tipped just over the net and out of play.
TNT successfully killed their first penalty, and the play was again five on four with 3:10 left in the second.
The lines changed, and now it was Berman, Brockie and Stanghieri down low, with Beretta and Frenette at the point. TNT tried to clear the puck, but Brockie dove and swept it back in. Stanghieri recovered in the right corner, and fed Frenette at the left point. His shot went into a crowd and was deflected wide on the right side.
The puck was sent back to the high slot where Beretta hammered it towards the net. The blocked shot was retrieved by Brockie who curled out to the top of the circles His snapshot was also saved, but came right back to him. Brockie passed to Stanghieri at the left side of the net. He tried to sneak the puck in the short side, and then carried the play behind the net.
The wraparound attempt was stopped. Berman tried to jam the loose puck in, but it was Brockie who buried the rebound at 3:02 for a power-play goal.
The teams were finally back at even strength with 2:57 left in the second period. The play was getting a little uglier now, as TNT stepped up their physical game. The Knights got trapped in their own end for an extended period as the clock dropped below a minute. Finally the team got the puck out and down the ice.
Fresh troops got into the play and the Knights set up in the TNT end as time wound down in the period. Harknett recovered the puck in the TNT corner, and sent it to Warner at the left point. Warner then sent it back to Harknett, now at the right point. Harknett pounded a shot just wide, and the puck rattled around the boards and out. Harris faced down a late two on one, breaking it up at his own blue line. NobleKing was leading 4-0 after two periods.
NobleKing scored an early goal in the third. This resulted from a good defensive play in their own end. Harris blocked a hard shot less then ten seconds into the period. TNT dumped the puck back in, but Warner took possession and sent a pass from the NobleKing blue line to Harknett at centre ice. Harknett paid it forward up to Nick Ladisa on the right side. Ladisa drove to the TNT slot and put a shot off the goaltender's pads. But Harknett was there for the rebound and he flipped it over the goaltender's pad at 14:31 of the final frame.
Ladisa set up another chance soon after this, rushing from deep in his own end to the right side of the net. He put a backhand pass across to Berman at the other side of the net, but the goaltender made a nice save on the shot.
Berman got to the loose puck in the corner, and carried up the left side boards before passing it back to the slot. But the play was broken up.
The Knights were on their usual early third period roll now. Soon after this, Stanghieri flipped a loose puck up to Cameron at centre ice. Cameron and Brockie rushed across the TNT blue line, where Cameron slid the puck over to Brockie and went to the net. Brockie's shot went through the goaltender for the Knights' sixth goal at 13:36.
TNT put together another rush right after goal, testing Carmen Ladisa. But he was up against the post, and made the save.
The play got scrappy again now. Frenette made a good check on a TNT rusher as he tried to split the defense. Both teams started mixing it up, and TNT eventually received a penalty at 11:55.
At this point, NobleKing had had enough of people taking runs at them and started hitting. TNT took a four minute penalty for head contact at 10:47. This gave NobleKing a five on three advantage for 53 seconds.
NobleKing applied good pressure, with several shots from the point. However, TNT was stepping up and blocking shots to protect their goalie.
When the first TNT player came out of the penalty box at 9:55, he promptly ran down Warner from behind. The play continued until 9:27, when TNT took possession and another penalty was called.
This led to more five on three play. A slapshot by Warner came off the end boards, and Berman tried to jam it in. Stanghieri fed Warner at the left point, and he sent a nifty backhand across to Harris. His slapshot was high and caught by the goaltender.
A penalty was called at 8:24 by the linesman well after the play. Warner was preparing to receive the puck at the point and was charged by the winger. Warner protected himself and got the better of the collision.. NobleKing received a five minute penalty, and two TNT players were ejected from the game at the same time. The end result was a four on three advantage for NobleKing.
With a lot of open ice, things were interesting. A faceoff in the TNT end was won cleanly back to Harris at the right point. He slid the puck over to Frenette on the left side and he stepped in with Cameron in the slot screening. Frenette slid the puck across to Nick Ladisa and he buried the shot at 8:17. This was another power play goal for the Knights.
This put the teams back at even strength - four on four.
At 6:47, TNT's penalty ended, and NobleKing was now short-handed. Stanghieri had a good lone ranger while on the penalty kill, beating the defense wide and cutting in. The shot was saved, but some time had been burnt off the clock.
After breaking up the next TNT rush, NobleKing dumped the puck deep, and a good forecheck by Cameron separated the defenseman from the puck.
TNT had not gotten much going on the power play so far, but the Knights received another penalty with 5:02 left in regulation leaving them two men short for a minute and a half.
The frustration of TNT was becoming evident. With four minutes left, Harris pulled the puck off the boards in his own end and cleared it the length of the ice. The TNT defenseman was so anxious to hit Harris, he levelled his own player.
The Knights successfully killed off the five on three, and short five on four before returning to full strength at 3:24. TNT did not have many good chances during the extended power play. NobleKing kept getting the puck deep into the TNT zone, and breaking up plays in the neutral zone. This was a good thing, as NobleKing received one final penalty with 2:36 remaining as a result of a scrum in front of the TNT bench.
With under two minutes left in the game, Marchand picked up a loose puck in the NobleKing slot, turned and flipped it up the ice. The puck landed just ahead of Berman at centre ice, and he had a short breakaway after catching the puck at the top of the circles in the TNT zone. The TNT goaltender came out to challenge and made a nice sweep check.
The Knights continued to defend their zone effectively during the penalty kill. Harris blocked another shot (his third of the game at least), breaking up a rush as the Knights successfully killed their final penalty.
A turnover in the neutral zone with under twenty seconds left resulted in a two on one with Harris defending. Stanghieri made a good backcheck, poking the puck away into the corner. He took possession there and protected the puck until the buzzer went, and receiving a late hit for his trouble. The Knights won 7-0.
This was a nasty game. The Knights had one player injured and another ejected, while TNT had three players ejected. The Knights were good on the penalty kill, and had to be. The remainder of the series should be interesting to say the least.
The pictures for this game are here: Round 3, Game 1: TNT 2.
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