After a rigorous month of training camp, the Ancaster Avalanche Minor Atom team was ready to take to the ice. Opening the season with back-to-back road games, Ancaster looked stronger, faster and better than ever.
First, the Avs headed to Brampton, meeting old rivals The Battalion. The home team pressed early in the first but some outstanding goaltending by Matt Wieske, making his debut in net, thwarted all attempts. Minutes later at the other end, Colin Marley took a nice pass off the draw, just missing the net with a quick backhand. The Avs penalty killing unit was put to the test late in the first on a Brampton power play. Veteran defenseman Matt Cummins led the way, keeping the game scoreless going into the second period.
The second opened with Ancaster pressure as Dayten Stockford sent a pass to Robby Pellizzari who was rushing up the middle. Pellizzari, seeing an opening, fed the puck to John Bulmer, who drove a blistering shot just missing the far side. Travis Legein showed incredible speed, buzzing around the ice and creating numerous offensive chances. Then Nicholas McMullen, a new recruit from Calgary, took away a short-handed chance for Brampton and hurried down the ice, almost slipping it under the goalie’s pad on a skilful wraparound.
After two periods of back and forth play, Brampton finally got on the scoreboard in the third. The Avs didn’t give up, with Branden Lindley intercepting a Brampton pass and sending it up the wing to Erik Fletcher who sped in almost burying the puck. Pressing even harder, the home team rallied to put the game out of reach, despite a great effort by Ancaster. Final score: Ancaster 0, Brampton 5.
Two nights later, the Avs were pumped and ready to take on their next opponent – Caledon. After Caledon opened the scoring, Ancaster responded with their own offense, sending rookie D.J. Nedelko down the wing for a great scoring chance. Ancaster stole Caledon chances with a big glove save by Logan Barrett and a great diving defensive play by Sam Walton. Picking up a loose puck, Kyle Hall then smartly sent it to Dayten Stockford, who made no mistake in hitting the five-hole to get Ancaster on the scoreboard.
With Caledon coming out hard early in the second, Trevor Viersen broke up a 2 on 1 to keep the score tied. Then Todd Barta, inspiring the team with his crunching body checks and spirited play went in for a point blank shot that just missed the net. Mark Robertson, pinching to keep the puck in, drew the assist on a pass to Nicholas McMullen who fired a wrist shot over the goalie’s shoulder to put the Avs ahead. Seconds later, the Avs had another scoring chance when Stockford sent Walton on a breakaway that forced the Caledon netminder to come up with a diving save. Caledon came back to even the score heading into the third period.
Ancaster came out flying in the third with an early scoring chance by Erik Fletcher, just missing the short side. Robertson paired up again with McMullen who rifled a backhand upstairs, beating the goalie for the go-ahead goal, his second of the night. Keeping the pressure on, Branden Lindley went end to end, with a quick shot almost getting through, while moments later Barta went flying in with a pass to Colin Marley, whose hard shot was stopped. Barrett kept the Avs ahead with another big stop on a Caledon rush. John Bulmer got the insurance goal after beating his man to the puck, and putting a hard shot over the shoulder of the Caledon netminder. A nailbiter, right to the final seconds with the Caledon net empty and the extra attacker, Ancaster managed to hold on and come away with the win. Final score: Ancaster 4, Caledon 3.
With a great start to the season, it looks like Coach Marty Legein has assembled a team that could go deep into the playoffs this year.
