Fans Get Value for Money at Redmen vs Excelsiors Game

By Mark Stehlin

It was an old fashioned barn-burner last night at Iroquois Park Sports Centre. When the dust settled two hours after the opening face-off the teams left the floor with one point each for their efforts with a 12-12 overtime tie. What happened in between the opening whistle and final buzzer was thrilling for those in attendance. These teams last met on May 31 in Brooklin's home opener and also went to OT, in that game the Redmen won by a final of 11-10. Tonight's game was about offensive runs, with the Excelsiors scoring seven in the second and the Redmen equaled that output in the third, with six unanswered. 

The scoring prowess of Brooklin's young guns Reilly O'Connor (0,5) and Dan Lintner (5,0) was on display again and despite a rough ride at times for Zach Higgins and Tyler Carlson, both coaches stuck with their goalies for the duration.

The Redmen had the lead only once in regulation after Curtis Knight's opening goal at 5:59 of the first, Brampton scored two in the middle of that frame and took a 2-1 lead to the first break.

The visitors added a pair in the first two minutes of the second to expand the lead to 4-1 before Lintner's first of five stopped that run. The second period was all Brampton including two in a 0:30 span with three minutes left and it looked like a 9-3 lead for the Excelsiors after two. Adrian Sorichetti decided otherwise as he scored on a crazy last second goal to make it 9-4 for Brampton after forty minutes.

The Redmen faithful remained in their seats to start the third and waited for a spark, a power play marker at 2:02 for the Redmen was matched by two in succession by the Excelsiors who did their best to snuff out any hope. However, the Redmen had other plans and led by quick transition player Ryan MacSpadyen with a goal at 8:14, they went on to scored five more. Josh Johnson on a diving shot sealed the tie at 11-11 with 0:21 on the clock. The Excelsiors won the ensuing face-off but could not translate that to a late goal and so the teams took a two minute break and prepared for a full 10 minute overtime period. The teams were back and forth in the extra frame and the Redmen scored first with Linter's fifth with just over two minutes remaining, the Excelsiors would not be denied as captain Mike Burke restored the tie at 12-12 with 41 seconds on the clock. One of the better chances in OT was when the Redmen were short handed and a cutting Dan Lintner received a nice pass only to be denied by Carlson.  Other scorers for the Redmen were Curtis Knight with two, and singles to Matt Hossack, John Lafontaine and Colton Watkinson. 

The Redmen (4-4-1) will start the second half of the regular season with a game in Cobourg Sunday before a return home on June 28 and a visit from the defending Mann Cup champion Six Nations Chiefs.