With the season slipping into the back nine of the season
the Four Wheel Drives were looking for a pick me up after a rough pair game of
games last weekend. With the Lancers coming to the PERC on Saturday perhaps a
great jousting match would be in the offing with both teams attempting to crawl
their way out of the league basement.
With the Milverton Santa Claus parade on
Friday evening and team Four Wheel Drive willing participants in the
festivities there was a good likelihood
that perhaps the team would find themselves a wee bit slow out of the gate come
game time. However , being great community minded souls that the players
are they handed out candy at the parade and came to play hockey the following
evening. There was a small blemish , however as Lucknow would score the first
goal to go ahead 1-0 in the first five minutes of the game . The Drives would
answer back a minute later on a goal from Mitch Boertien with his 9th
of the year with Jeff Fritzley assisting. Milverton would quickly add another
marker with newcomer Erik Vander Eyk potting his first goal to make the score
2-1.Assists going to Chris Corbett and Ryan Ropp. Ethan Bradley would jump the score to 3 to 1
with his first of the year with helpers from Vander Eyk and Reese Stanley.
There was no
scoring from either team in the second period. Team black and gold were
fortunate not to get scored on as the
team was kept occupied extinguishing power play opportunities given to the Lucknow squad with ill timed infractions
that has been the scourge of the team this year. If the squad hopes to climb the standings
these ill conceived actions need to stop . From my vantage point one cannot be
a contributing member of the team occupying time in the penalty box.
With the third period under way and with the
Lancers on the power play the visitors would be given the chance to narrow the
gap. The visitors took advantage of their opportunity and scored to get within
a goal of the hometowners. That would be it for the Lancers for the evening as
the Dennis Dewar show hit the floor for the night . Dewar would notch his 8th,9th
and 10th goals of the year to
take over the team lead in goals and tie him with Boertien for total
points. Riley Kuepfer added his third of
the year. Vinnie Vitelli had three assists, Derek Erb and Coleton Quipp with
two each
The win
propelled the Drives out of the basement and within two points of the AA side
and with seven games remaining the squad has a big challenge in front of them. But
with great goaltending, smart hockey and a disciplined effort they will achieve
what they have set out to do.
Happy
Birthdays Ernie Hudson ( Ghostbusters
78)
Stone
Steve Austin ( wrestler 59)
Christine
Agulilera ( singer 43)
Jeff Leblanc ( retired Perth East
fireman/ current Raider power forward
48)
Just a
reminder....” For every mile of road there is two miles of ditch”