The Walker’s Heating and Cooling Highland Storm U13 rep team continued their epic ‘march’ toward the OMHA championships March 29 with a stunning win in game three against the Lindsay Muskies.
The victory was even sweeter, considering that the leading point scorer, Travis Rowe, was unavailable.
The Storm began their series against Lindsay, with captain Henry Neilson punching home two goals in the first two periods to keep the locals within reach in game one. Lucas Vale stepped up with a 270-degree spinning backhand in the third to level the game at three before Linus Gervais took a pass from Brycen Harrison to net the winner.
Game two saw an outstanding defensive battle, with goalie Blake Hutchinson turning away all of Lindsay’s efforts after the Muskies took a 1-0 lead. A tying goal from Tyler Hughes pushed the game into overtime, where the Storm hit the post and crossbar multiple times but couldn’t put the game away. After two overtime periods, the Muskies defeated the Storm 2-1 in a shootout, setting the stage for game three.
The Muskies came to Minden ready to play in the final decisive game and were all over the Storm in the first period.
The seesaw battle again saw some fantastic play, with Levi Rowe, Hudson Meyer and Hawksley Dobbins standing firm on defence and Jaxon Hurd and Chase Kerr providing continuous pressure on the Muskie’s goalie.
Cruize Neave and Lyla Degeer continued with solid efforts, consistently forcing the play back into the Lindsay zone.
The Storm entered the third tied 2-2 with both goals by Harrison. He picked up the hat-trick in the third to put the Storm ahead once and for all and to secure a berth in the tier one OMHA championships in Kingston, April 5-8.
Marshall Heasman, who collected two playoff shutouts in the previous round, was ready if needed.
“The Storm coaches and manager – Scott Neilson, Cynthia Hutchinson, Marcus Rowe, Shawn Walker and James Rielly – thank the community for their incredible support this year. The air horns and cheering were likely heard for miles as the parents and fans rocked the house. Look out, Kingston, a Storm is rolling in.”
