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Solid
Defense Clinches 1st Place
The Excelsiors knew going into Saturday
night's tilt with the St. Regis Indians that they
only required 1 win in their remaining 3 games to
secure top spot in the MSL standings and that of
their remaining games this would most likely be
the toughest one to get. Once again, the Excelsiors
would be missing key individuals (Doyle, both Merrill's,
Harasym, Manning, and Hominuck) but believed that
if they put out a solid effort they could still
wrap it up in front of the home crowd.
Brampton would get the first of
the game from Captain Dan Teat 6 minutes into the
game, but St. Regis would answer with one of their
own on a delayed penalty just 30 seconds later.
Brandon Miller was solid between the pipes and the
Brampton defense worked solidly to ensure that St.
Regis would have few opportunities to get a good
shot off. St. Regis would score the only other goal
of the period on the power-play with under 3 minutes
remaining to take a 2-1 lead into the break.
Jeff Shattler would blast one home
to tie up the game 2 and a half minutes into the
second period, but once again St. Regis would answer
quickly thereafter to regain their lead. Rookie
Ryan Campbell notched his first of the night a couple
minutes later, but St. Regis was there to respond
less than a minute later. Trailing by one and with
a man in the box Campbell would break free and score
a short handed marker to tie the game, and would
score another (to finish his second natural hat-trick
in only 4 games) off of the ensuing face-off to
regain the lead for the Excelsior's. St Regis would
score to tie it back up with 8 minutes to go in
the second. Dan Dawson added his first of the night
with less than 2 minutes to go to give the Home
team a 6-5 lead at the 2nd intermission.
With a single goal separating the
two teams, the fans at the Powerade Centre were
on the edge of their seats when the 3rd period began.
The aggressive Brampton defense matched up with
Miller's outstanding play would prove to be the
difference, as St. Regis would fail to put a single
goal in during the entire period. After close to
12 minutes of nail-biting back and forth action,
Dan Dawson would blast one over the shoulder of
the St. Regis tender to give Brampton some breathing
room. Dan Teat followed suit a minute later, and
on the ensuing face-off, rookie Drew Petkoff worked
hard for the loose ball, and then broke free to
score his first goal in the Major Series.
This game was vastly different from
the war in Peterborough with the two teams combining
for only 24 minutes in penalties (110 on Thursday).
The win secures Brampton a bye through the first
round and home floor advantage throughout the drive
for the Mann Cup. Brampton will wrap up the regular
season with a game against the re-surging Brooklin
Redmen in Whitby on Wednesday night and then play
host to the Barrie Lakeshores the following night
at the Powerade Centre at 8:00.
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