Game 1 of league play would have the
Wolverines on the road against Waterloo Ravens #2.
The Wolverines would strike first with only
0:01 second left in the 1st period and would hold a 2-1 lead after 2
periods. Waterloo would continue to push
and with the extra attacker on would even the score at 2-2 with only 1:21 left
in the game, leaving the Wolverines to settle for the tie.
In Game 2 of the season, the Wolverines
would play host to Stratford #1. The
Wolverines lineup would prove to be too much for their opponent holding an 8-0
lead after the first period. The Wolverines
would juggle their lines/positions for the remainder of the game to allow
players to try out different positions than they typically would play in.
For Games 3 & 4, the Wolverines were back on the road again. They would skate to a 4-0 win over the Kitchener Lady Rangers Red before heading to Fergus to play against the Grand River Mustangs #1. The game against Grand River proved to be a good test for the Wolverines against a team that liked to exhibit physical play. Grand River would strike first within the first minute of the game and the Wolverines would respond less than a minute later to tie it up. Grand River would score again in the 2nd period and again the Wolverines would storm back within a minute to tie it up. The score would remain deadlocked at a 2-2 despite a few chances at both ends of the ice before the end of regulation.
For Games 5 & 6, the Wolverines would host the Kitchener Lady Rangers White and the Ayr Rockets. The Wolverines would open the scoring on a penalty shot and defeat Kitchener 2-0. This game seemed to lack the intensity that had been typical of the team’s performance so far this season. They would make up for it though in the next game against the Ayr Rockets. The game was tied 1-1 at the end of the 1st period before the Wolverines would take over early and often and end the 2nd period with a 5-1 lead. The game would end in a 5-2 win for the Wolverines.
The Wolverines would then travel to the North Halton Twisters tournament in Milton. This tournament is an annual event the staff likes to participate in as it allows the team to spend the weekend together at the hotel and build relationships with one another that don’t always come through practices or games.
The Wolverines would open the tournament on Friday night against host North Halton Twisters Light Blue. The Wolverines found themselves down 1-0 after the 1st period before turning it up a notch in the 2nd and 3rd periods and scoring 4 unanswered goals to come away with a 4-1 victory.
Game 2 of the tournament had the Wolverines playing the Burlington Barracudas Red and the Wolverines came to play registering the first of four goals in the 1st period only 0:13 seconds into the game. The team relaxed in the 2nd period allowing Burlington to score 2 before the Wolverines would pick it up again and skate to the 6-3 win.
The last game of round robin play would have the Wolverines squaring off against the Oakville Yellow Jackets. A win would punch the Wolverines ticket to the semis, while a loss or tie would make things messy with tie-break scenarios. This game was perhaps the toughest game the Wolverines have played all season to-date. The game would see end-to-end action against yet another physical opponent. The 0-0 deadlock would be broken midway through the 2nd period when the Wolverines would go coast-to-coast and solve the Oakville net minder. The game would end in a 1-0 victory and clinch the top spot for the Wolverines.
The Wolverines would face the Burlington Barracudas Orange team in the semis. Burlington would score 0:14 seconds into the 1st period and the Wolverines would respond less than 2 minutes later to tie it 1-1. Burlington would score again midway through the second period to take a 2-1 lead. Wilmot would have a number of chances that simply would not go in the net. Fortune seemed to be swinging the Wolverines way when the net minder would stop a breakaway in the final few minutes of the game and Burlington would take a penalty. However with the Wolverine net empty they could not pull out a win to advance to the Finals.
The Wolverines will start back into league play at home against Kitchener Lady Rangers Blue before heading out for a Sunday matinee against Stratford #2.
The season has been pretty special so far with this only being a few of the high points:
· Every single player on the Wolverines roster has registered at least 1 point (even the goalie)!
· Been awarded (and scored) on a penalty shot!
· The team has played 9 of 10 games without any penalties and had a total of only 2 minutes in penalties this season!
· Strong defensive play, great back checking and goaltending have earned the team 3 shutouts!
· 2 players have gotten the first goals of their hockey careers!
· 5 players have scored 2 goals or more in a game!
…and we’re just getting started!!
By: Rick Livingstone