The Royal LePAGE Midget Tyees resumed league play on the road this past weekend in Victoria with match ups against the Victoria Racquet Club Kings and the Juan De Fuca Grizzlies.
After three close games already this season against the Kings, the Tyees were looking to prove to each other and themselves they had the wherewithal to finally beat them.
“We had been preparing all week for the chance to get redemption at Racquet Club. We introduced a couple new systems that the coaches thought would match up well against the Kings. Like the three other games we played against Racquet Club we knew it was going to be close, and it was going to be the team with one less mistake than the other that would take the victory,” Coach Robertson.
It was the Kings that drew first blood going up 1-0 early in the second period but the Tyees quickly answered back on an aggressive for check, the speed of Ryan Howich caused a Kings D -man to fumble the puck and in the net it went. That goal sparked the Tyees who continued to work hard drawing two penalties late in the second.
The coaches loaded up the power play unit and the Tyees quickly scored twice, first Tyler Clark on a nice set up by John Kretzschmar and then Kretzschmar notching one putting the Tyees up 3-1. The Tyees had several chances to extend the lead but solid net minding by the Kings goalie kept the score close. With four minutes left the home team drew to within one but that’s as close as they would get Tyees 3-2 win.
Sunday was against a JDF team the Tyees had only played once early in the placement round.
“With putting so much emphasis on the Saturday night game, the coaching staff was a little worried that the team would come out with not as much emotion on Sunday,’’ said Robertson.
But the coach’s concerns were quickly put to rest early in the first as the Tyees connected with a pp goal and then again on the pp mid way thru the first giving the visitors a 2-0 lead. Late in the first the Tyees got into penalty trouble of their own going down two men but great penalty killing with strong d from call up Dion Thompson blocking a shot to keep a certain goal off the board.
The Tyees came out flying to start the second half. Strong fore check that the grizzlies had no answer for and the Tyees quickly notched a pair of goals by Clark and Kalem Penner, both on rebounds. Late in the second the Tyees found themselves again down a pair in the penalty box. But keeping the Grizz mostly outside any shots that did get thru were saved by a rock solid Colton Thompson. The power play continued to click for the Tyees, first Cole Rennie and then Landon Walters gave the visitors a 6-0 lead with only a shutout for Thompson left to secure.
However, late in the third on a strong individual effort the Grizzlies broke the goose egg and played spoiler on a solid game by Campbell River. Two more late ones made the final a lopsided 8-1 victory.
The Royal LePAGE Midget Tyees have a pair of games ahead this weekend Saturday in Parksville and Sunday home at 3:15 against Comox.