The
Drives have gotten off to a rocky start to the 2023-2024 season as the team
fell to 0 and 7, after losses to Georgian Bay and Erin the past two weekends.
The team has been able to score proven by the the ten goals they have scored
the past two games . However, keeping the puck out of their own net has proven
to be a bit of a challenge
The local heroes made the trek to Thornbury to face off
against the Apple Kings on Nov 4 th. One of the league’s new entry , the Apple
Kings are sporting a 500 record thus far. I wasn’t in attendance for the
evening match up , I did however monitor the development of the contest with
the handy dandy live OEHL web site . From what i could gather sitting from afar
, it appeared the Drives had a very good opportunity to gain their first
victory . The team led 5 goals to 4 heading in to the third and then things
split at the seams . Both teams got involved with some high spirited
shenanigans as the Drives played short handed for a majority of the third and
the Apple Kings dropped in three unanswered goals . Jeff Fritzley bagged a hat
trick and Mitch Boertien had 2 goals for
the Milverton scoring . Coleton Quipp, Reid Schwartzentruber each with an
assist and Boertien with three helpers completed the scoring. Ex- Drive Evan
Buehler had two goals for the roi de
pommes.
The
Milverton squad have an extended road stand with two more away games before
they hit the PERC on November 26 against Seaforth. The first game of the road
marathon had the team travelling to Erin to meet the Outlaws , another new
entry to the league. This engagement with the Erin team would prove to be
interesting as the Drives would be without Coach Parker . The resulting
hullabaloo in Thornbury garnered the bench boss a few games suspension and so
in his stead the troops would be guided by the steady hand of defensive co-ordinator Dale Waddell and Jackson Blowes . Now, it has been quite
some time since I have been to village of Erin . As many small villages , it
too has grown over the years. If memory served me correctly I remember the town
being near to Guelph. Before leaving I researched the best route to get to
intended destination and found the route to be strange . Anyways , with my
faithful wing man Teeky riding shotgun
we struck off for Erin. Convinced there was an easier way I made some dips and
dives , got lost ,spent 20 minutes extra on the road , road construction,
missed the turn off to the arena entirely and the finally and just like the old
days we asked a fine gentleman where the arena might be.
Both teams looked evenly
matched from the outset. Reid Schwartzentruber put the Drives on the board
first with an unassisted goal at the 17:06 mark. However , as has been the
nemesis of the Drives this year the opposition would answer back quickly with a
goal. A clunker of goal no less, a pass that took an errant bounce and got past Timmy Bester. The Bandits would add two late period goals to go ahead 3-1. Fritzley and Boertien would each score in the second period to narrow the gap to 5-3 .
The Drives opened the third stanza with a 2 man advantage and took little time in pouncing on their oppurtunity .Coleton Quipp and Fritzley would both score minutes apart to tie the game at 5. The teams would battle for the decisive victory with both teams trading good looks . Erin would score with a little over two minuted left to take the lead . With Bester pulled for an extra attacker the Drives couldn't get the game tied with the Bandits potting an empty goal to win 7-5.
Milverton will travel to Lucknow this Saturday to sqaure off with the Lancers and in search of that all elusive first win. Next Home game is November 26 against Seaforth . See you there!