Feb 10, 2013 | SCorrigan | 621 views
Week 19 Recap
The trio of games this weekend produced a pair of lopsided games and one very close affair. Still the effects of the flu bug were evident as a number of benches were shortened and even some coaching staff were absent.
The first game of the day saw the Leafs take on the Sharks. The game started slow enough, having all the hallmarks of the typical close checking game that has been the case in 3 of the 4 previous meetings. An early Shark goal was met with what looked like a tying goal late in the first by Luke Meadus. If you were a fan in the stands it is understandable that you might be confused. One of the referees simply lost sight of the puck from the angle he was at and blew the play dead (even though the puck was clearly in the open from the other side). The Sharks took full advantage of this lucky break and began to push the tempo. The 7-0 final score might have been worse had it not been for the play of Dakota Bacchus, who was stellar on this day. Both Shark goalies, Aidan Fuller and Sean Kennedy, played great in the shutout. Also, the Sharks Eithan Da Costa found the back of the net for his first goal of the year.
The second game of the day was between the usually high flying Penguins and the gritty Flyers. This game was a real treat to watch. The Flyers came back from a 1-0 deficit to build a 3-1 lead going in to the third. The Penguins then swung the momentum their way and tied the game up by midway in the third. The Flyers, however, were not to be denied on this day as they scored a pair of goals late and became only the second team to defeat the Penguins all year. The stand outs on the days for the Penguins were Eric Wehrle (2g) and Justin Willsie (1g, 1a). On the other side, the Flyers got their early start thanks to a pair of top shelf goals by Ben George and a highlight reel end to end rush by Ethan Reynolds (1g, 1 a). The smiles on both teams during the postgame handshake was a good a testament to the quality of the game as you could find.
The final game of the day saw the Habs take on the Bruins. Despite a nice goal by Cole Pearson and some really good work in the corners by Melissa Sindle (1a), the day belonged to the Bruins. Their pressure was relentless and their defense smothering. Indeed they were full measure for their 6-1 win. Jacob Brun had a great day (1g, 1a) as did Bryn Palin (1g, 1a) - for both of them the puck seemed to follow them on the ice and they had great offensive chances throughout the game.