Mar 16, 2015 | PaulF | 1169 views
ETA Playoffs (Rd 2) Game #2 vs. Markham Waxers
The Preds were back on the ice just twenty-four hours after beating the Waxers to take a 1-0 series lead in the best of 3 quarterfinal.
Game two was played at the Milliken Mills Arena in Markham where the Preds had enjoyed some succes earlier in the year. The confidence from that earlier success and the game one victory were evident as the Preds took the play to the Waxers from the onset. The Waxers goalie proved difficult to beat and the teams skated off tied 0-0 after the first.
The boys continued their strong play and continued to take it to Markham in the second. Jake Partridge got the Preds on the board midway through the frame on a great individual effort. Soon after, the Preds looked poised to put the game out of reach as the enjoyed a lengthy five on three. Despite several great chances, the boys just couldn't put another one by the Waxers goalie and ended the second period with a slim 1-0 lead.
Sensing their ETA playoff lives on the line, the Waxers came out flying to start the third. They pushed hard and had the Preds back on their heels for most of the period. As he has has done all year, Brandon Small made several show-stopping saves and was able to keep the Waxers off the board. With the Markham goalie on the bench, the game looked to be over when a Preds shot toward the empty net looked to be going in but ultimatley caromed off the outside of the post keeping the Waxers alive. Shortly after, the Waxers six man push finally paid off when theywere able to bang a rebound past Brandon with just 0:20 second left on the clock.
Many teams would hang their heads after seeeing victory snatched away in the dying seconds but the Preds just seemed more determined than ever to put the defending OMHA champs away. They started the overtime period with two dominant shifts before Gavin Courtemanche played hero when he shoveled the puck over the line to give the Preds the 2-1 victory. The win gave the Preds a 2-0 sweep of their ETA quarterfinal round. Thier next opponent will be determined by the result of the Kingston-York Simcoe series that will be decided later in the week.