Mar 23, 2015 | PaulF | 2421 views
ETA Playoffs (FINALS) Game#2 vs. Central Ontario Wolves
The Preds were back on home ice Sunday, March 22nd, looking to avenge a close loss suffered a day earlier to the Wolves in Lindsay.
The Wolves, up 1-0 in the series, were looking to put the Preds away while the Preds were looking to force a third and deciding game. Both the season series and playoff games between these two teams have been very even this year and this game proved to be more of the same.
The two teams looked sharp early on and several scoring chances were generated at both ends. Late in the first, a Central Ontario breakaway lead to goal as a Wolves forward snapped a shot over Brandon Small's glove in the Preds goal to put the Wolves up 1-0. The teams continued to swap chances in a wide open period but neither could score another before the buzzer.
The Wolves came out sensing blood in the second period and scored another goal just a couple of minutes in to take a commanding 2-0 lead. This seemed to fuel the Preds as they pushed back hard and were able to keep the Wolves pinned in their own end for extended periods throughout the remainder of the period. Midway through he frame they were rewarded when Will Prentice was able to backhand a puck under the bar from close range to narrow the lead to one. With the Wolves back on their heels, the Preds added a second shortly after from the stick of Kyle Kuznik to even the game at twos. There was no more scoring in the period and the teams skated to the break tied 2-2.
Both teams looked a little tentative in the third and the pace seemed to slow down a little. It looked as though neither team wanted to make a mistake and subsequently, the scoring chances were down significantly from the first two periods. Despite the more defensive play, both goalies had to come up with some huge saves in the frame to keep their team in the game. The period ended tied at twos forcing a ten minute sudden-death overtime period.
Right out of the gates in OT, the Preds carried the play to the Wolves forcing several turnovers and creating some great scoring chances. A couple of minutes in, Will Prentice forced another mistake at the Wolves blue line a found himself in alone on a clear cut breakaway. With the game on the line he made no mistake, snapping a shot over the goalie's shoulder to win the game for the Preds and keep the season alive! Adding assists for the Preds were Bo Prentice, Eric Moreau, Will Prentice and Jonathan Balah. The one game showdown for the ETA championship will be played in Lindsay on Thursday. GO PREDS GO!!!