STOUFFVILLE SPIRIT ARE NORTH-WEST CHAMPIONS!
WOW....what a game! Junior 'A' Hockey at its finest! The best game I've seen in years!
These are just a few of the terms thrown about last night after the Stouffville Spirit (photo credit - Brian Watts/OJHL Images) and Georgetown Raiders waged an epic game seven battle at the Mold-Masters Sportsplex. With emotions running high and a jam-packed house, both teams display the passion and intensity that is junior hockey in Canada. Unfortunately, only one team can win and the Stouffville Spirit carried the day, winning 4-3 in overtime to claim the North-West crown.
Jon Hall was between the pipes for the Spirit once again, while Steven Racine replaced Michael Giugovaz in the Raiders net. Stouffville came out flying and would carry the play for much a very tentative first period and Chris Porter would open the scoring at the 8:34 mark with his league-leading 14th of the playoffs. Outshot 13-5 in the frame, Racine was the difference in keeping it a one goal game entering the second period.
OJHL Coach-of-the-Year Greg Walters would work some of his magic during the intermission and it seemingly worked as the Raiders turned the tide in period two, outshooting the Spirit 14-9, while taking a 2-1 lead. First diminutive Tyson Fawcett knotted the score at one with his team leading seventh of the post-season on the power play, then Georgetown leading scoring Stephen Genua buried a shot from the high slot to give his club the lead.
Period three would see end-to-end action with both teams trading scoring chances and a nervous tension building throughout the rink as the seconds ticked by. The Spirit, missing OJHL Most Valuable Player Christian Finch for the third consecutive game, pushed hard and Drake Caggiula finally tied the game on the power play when a turnover resulted in partial break for the sniper. Not long after the goal, the Spirit thought they had taken the lead when a cross-crease feed when in, but it was immediately waved off by the official, who was in perfect position to make the call as being kicked in. Just as it seemed that overtime was a certainty, Stouffville defenceman Josh Chapman jumped in from the point and buried his second of the playoffs off a scramble around the Raiders net and the countdown was on. However, Georgetown displayed the true character of a champion and with the goalie pulled, the puck squirted out from a scrambled draw, back to Jake Emilio on the point. Hall would kick out his blast from the point, but right on to the stick of Mr. Clutch for the Raiders, Tyson Fawcett, who made no mistake, burying the puck at 19:11 of the third period and it was off to overtime.
With everything on the line, the relentless action continued into the extra session with both teams having great opportunities to win the series, with the shots finishing 7-6 in favour of the Spirit. That one extra shot was the difference in the game as OJHL Top Defenceman and playoff assist leader Paul Geiger fired a shot on net that was deflected in front, giving Racine no chance at making the save. Geiger’s third of the playoffs touched off a celebration among the large contingent of Spirit faithful that made the trip from Stouffville.
There was no doubt that Geiger was named the game’s first star after scoring the biggest goal of his burgeoning hockey career. While the two netminders, Jon Hall and Steven Racine, were named stars two and three respectively for yet another goaltending battle.
The OJHL Championship Series is now set and will feature the Stouffville Spirit and first-time finalist, the Whitby Fury, playing for the right to hoist the Frank J. Buckland Trophy and the opportunity to represent the OJHL at the Dudley Hewitt Cup in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Stouffville will receive home-ice advantage in the series and the schedule will be announced early this week. Be sure to check back to www.ojhl.ca for up-to-date information.
