Rinaldo drops opening face-off
Following the Jr. B Bengals' razor-thin loss to first-seed Six Nations Rebels two weeks ago, in a game which almost certainly could have gone either way, and with no second match up on this 2019 circuit's somewhat awkward schedule, the boys could only look to that other black and gold squad, the Elora Mohawks, as a worthy opponent against whom to test their depth. To defeat the Mohawks, who had bested the Rebels, would in a sense make the circle-of-three complete and at par.
But first, with the help of Nashville Predator Zac Rinaldo, they would host the Point Edward Pacers and lay down an 18-1 rout which featured 3-goal performances by mainstay cornerman Yvon Bolduc, media award-taker Tye Argent and most notably: ace defender Dawson Brown. Goaler Mitch Dunham earned the coveted Hammer award with a .972 save percentage on the night!
Four nights later the doors at The Dave reopened for the much-anticipated Mohawks:
THE NEW MOMENT WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR
The home side struck first courtesy of young Coltrane Tyson whose confidence seems to be progressing since his mid-season arrival. Elora took it back on a convincing pick-play. Recent Bengal arrival Tyson Allison, brother of stalwart creaseman Cooper Day-Allison, put the B's up again with a resounding fake-shot and solo-penetration move. Elora would even up again with expert execution over a loosened defense stance before current Jr B goal-leader Luke Robinson helped prompt a legitimate delayed high-sticking signal and with goalie Lucas Nagy benchside and the shot-clock at zero, a second of three new Bengals secret weapons, Breadon Saris beat the buzzer on a photo-finish!
Add a long-distance shocker from Bolduc and a second Tyson Allison strike and the Bengals had arranged a 5-2 lead by the 24-minute mark. Cue the breakdown: Seven Minutes in Mohawk Heaven in which the visitors struck five times on a beleaguered Nagy, chasing him from the pipes despite a recent unreal save, denying a golden 'Hawks opportunity on a masterfully-deft rebound.
Cooper Day-Allison launched the B's comeback on a beautiful lightning-fast power play finish worthy of four assists! The lead then sea-sawed through the third period with Robinson missing half of it in the box for one of two Bengals misconduct penalties during goal celebrations! Argent, Bolduc and Tyson all netted their second of the game before a patented Tanner Brennecke outside whipper pushed the Bengals into a late-game one-goal lead which they failed to hang on to!
OVERTIME
Elora made the fabulous mistake of taking a penalty early in overtime against the B's deadly power-play but held the attackers at bay! Then finally, with barely a minute left in the 10-minute extra frame and the Bengals struggling to hang on to passes, Mohawk Nathan Bolger scored a lethal solo-effort goal.
The B's responded with an all-out attack, but were fingered for two-many-men. Dunham stopped the following penalty shot and then another late breakaway as the black and gold, despite a lot of hard work and thrilling lacrosse plays, let another valuable victory escape their grasp!
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Before taking one more crack at Elora The Bengals would regroup in Guelph where Argent and Day-Allison would score highlight-reel thrillers en route to a 12-6 Hamilton final. Argent also teamed up with Brennecke on a pair of brilliant two-man attacks, the first a promising odd-man rush which they uncharacteristically flubbed getting too fancy. The second though, struck home short-handed courtesy of a double Argent fake following a perfect rag and dish arrangement by Brennecke who became the all-time Bengals assist leader this night and scooped the media award to boot! Late 2019 arrival Ty English earned the cherished Hammer award.
ONE MORE CHANCE
Facing Elora for the second time, the B's were not exactly received like royalty. The loudest booth announcer in Jr B cheered the Mohawks on to a two-goal lead in just two minutes of play. Cue the rout? No. One of the Bengals many luxuries is a very diverse snipership and somebody ordered up a Bolduc-Robinson five-course combo. Fold in a Michael Grace short-handed marker with eventual Hammer-recipient Jake Parkinson playing decoy, and an overwhelming doorstep dumper by Coltrane Tyson and the tiger side found themselves up 7-2 at the quarter-mark of period two!
Now cue the rout?
Nope. Elora would concoct another three goals before the second break but Hamilton would keep pace with irrepressible defender Sam Gower setting up Brennecke for a strike and then netting his own short-handed before Parkinson followed suit.
Third period: All Mohawks. The home side scored five unanswered goals prompting Nagy to take a break after the fourth. He would come back for the overtime period; the second such Mohawk-Bengal occurrence in just three days!
Elora had been giving our goalies fits winning offensive loosies all game and the Hamilton netminders had been valiant but finally failed on such a rebound, this against the power-play wih Hunter Aggus in the box. Just as in their first meeting Elora took the overtime lead about a minute in!
HOW DEEP CAN THE BENGALS DIG?
Luke Robinson
Deep enough it seems. Aggus was redeemed on his feed to Allison who promptly cashed in with a determined spin-and-whip. Then with a minute to go, Argent added to his recent collection of game-winning goals. 12-11 visitors final in both Elora games. Michael Grace, for solid D, creation of opponent turnovers and selfless team-play, took the media awards for both meetings.
Elora and Hamilton are a very likely playoff match-up for round two with Six Nations likely awaiting the winner of such for the Jr B West final. But getting there won't be easy.
Following a 29-8 debacle at The Dave on Saturday over the devlish Blue Devils of London, in which Robinson landed a tidy ten goals to all but clinch the Jr B goal-scoring race, the B's now face the Thunderhawks for the final game of the season tonight at home, this after suffering a recent 12-6 embarrassment at their hands in Niagara On The Lake. The game holds no tangible playoff implications with Owen Sound North Stars now set as the Bengals first-round challenger. The 'Hawks will also be looking ahead to their first-round opponent, the Windsor Clippers. A fairly polite game is anticipated.
