Redmen Win in Oakville Sets up Exciting Second Half of Home and Home Series

The final chapter on the 2016 MSL standings continues towards an exciting finish. As a result of a 5-4 win tonight at the TRAC the Brooklin Redmen are in sole possession of second place, two points clear of Oakville and three of Six Nations. The Rock will have a shot to make up tonight’s loss as they travel east to take on the Redmen at Iroquois on Wednesday night. The Chiefs have Brampton twice this week to finish up the season, while the Lakers can’t be caught with top spot and home floor advantage locked up.

Tonight’s low scoring affair was full of fast breaks and exciting back and forth action. Nick Rose and Mike Poulin were solid in their respective nets with the Rock out-shooting their guests 46-43. Penalties were minimal with Roger Nurse and Mark Gardonio assessing four minors to the Redmen and three to the Rock, neither side had any luck on the extra man situation but the Redmen were able to convert on the man down for two of their five goals.

Ex-Redmen Damon Edwards opened the scoring less than a minute in to the game, Mitch Wilde countered for the Redmen a minute or so later and the Rock had a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes. The Redmen tied it at 2-2 on their first short-handed goal and it was the visitors who took the 4-3 lead into the second intermission. A handful of Redmen defenders snuck out at the second intermission to enjoy some fresh summer Oakville air and clearly talked strategy as they continued to take away shooting and passing lanes from the Rock. Dan Lomas did tie the game with seven minutes to go but four minutes later Austin Shanks scored for the visitors who hung on for the 5-4 win. The Rock called a time out with a minute to go and did have some chances but to no avail, the Redmen got the ball back with less than 20 seconds on the clock and with both goalies out were able to hang on for the win.

A pair of goals to Shayne Jackson and singles to Mark Matthews, Shanks and Wilde. For the Rock singles to Challen Rogers, Jeremy Noble and the aforementioned Edwards and Lomas.