Redmen Fall to the Chiefs in Consecutive Games
The Redmen and the Chiefs squared off for their fourth and final meeting of the 2017 regular season last night. In three previous clashes this season, the Chiefs won twice at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena and the teams tied 10-10 at Iroquois Park.
The Chiefs charged out of the gate to open the game with three goals in just over two minutes. The Redmen battled back all night and were able to keep pace with the visitors, taking their first and only lead early in the third period as they were up 7-6. Another run by the Chiefs in the final frame would be the difference as they took the two points with a 12-10 win and now sport a record of 11-1-1 compared to 6-6-2 for the Redmen.
Once Mike Poulin settled down in the Redmen net and his mates found their groove, Brodie Tutton snared an errant Chiefs pass in the Redmen defensive zone and sprinted down the floor to put the ball behind Chiefs goalie, Brandon Miller. The Chiefs did all of their scoring in the first five minutes of the opening frame as the Redmen battled back to make it 4-3 for the visitors heading to the first break.
The home side played a more measured game in the second period and limited their guests to just two goals while scoring three of their own that frame. Second year transition specialist, Ryan MacSpadyen surprised Miller with his speed as he broke out from the right corner and deposited the ball in the back of the net to get the Redmen back within one. Ryan Keenan scored his second of three on the night with 0:48 on the clock and the teams were tied at 6-6 with twenty minutes to go.
After Kyle Whitlow gave the Redmen the 7-6 lead with less than a minute off the clock in the third, the Chiefs answered with three straight in a five minute span to retake the lead and would not relinquish it for the rest of the night. The Redmen did tie the affair at 9-9 with just under six minutes to go, but Vaughn Harris and Ryan Benesch for the Chiefs answered with two goals just a minute apart to make the climb back a little harder. Keenan's third of the night with 1:20 to play made it interesting and with possession and a time-out in the last 0:45 but the Redmen could not convert, Dhane Smith on an empty netter in the dying seconds settled the matter.
Scorers for the Redmen, Keenan with three and singles to Tutton, MacSpadyen, Whitlow, Adrian Sorichetti, Dan Lintner, Reilly O'Connor and Curtis Knight.
The Redmen now pack up for a trip to Peterborough on Thursday night before they welcome the Lakers to Iroquois for a game next Wednesday July 19, 2017. The Redmen will also celebrate the 30th anniversary of the 1987 winning Mann Cup team that night.