Curtain Drops on Merchants Season with Home Loss

By Mark Stehlin

The Brooklin Merchants hosted the Six Nations Rivermen at IPSC tonight in a pivotal game four, in a best of five OSL final series that the Rivermen led 2-1. The Merchants were anxious to get to Six Nations for game five and the visitors were looking to wrap up the series and start planning for their trip to Ladner, B.C. and a chance at a Presidents Cup.

The game was a goaltenders duel for most of the first period. Starters Deacan Knott for the Merchants and Drew Hutchison for the Rivermen both put on a clinic. Each team was only able to muster a single goal sending the teams to break deadlocked at 1-1.

- photo by Sam Hossack

The second period was a little more open as each team capitalized on special teams. The hosts scored twice on the power play and once short-handed.  The Rivermen notched one of their own on the man-down. It was 3-2 for the Merchants in that period and they took a 4-3 lead to the third, fighting for their season.

- photo by Sam Hossack

Special teams would be the order of the night and that continued in the final frame. The Rivermen tied the game just two minutes into the third on a short-handed marker. Jacob Hickey and Parker Pipher countered with a power play goal each and the home side opened a two-goal lead.  That gap was short-lived as the Rivermen scored two unanswered to reset the game and the sides were knotted at 6-6. Adam Perroni scored his second of the night with 6:58 on the clock. His breakaway goal came after receiving a beautiful pass from Lukas Coote in the Merchants net. Coote relieved Knott who left in the second period with an injury.  The 7-6 Merchants lead lasted until the final two minutes, in a brief span of less than a minute the visitors scored two late goals and hung on for the 8-7 win and 3-1 series victory. 

Head Coach Ryan Degerdon said "we really wanted this and sure it hurts right now and it is frustrating".

He added "we told the guys that this is not a one-season plan, we want to build a culture here and we are on the right track."

Assistant Coach Mark Debrone said, "with adversity and losing come good lessons, being this close will remind these guys that they have it in them and are almost at the level we all want to achieve."

He reported "losing is humbling, but at the same time we can take this to learn and gain experience." 

Degerdon concluded, "having gone through this against Six Nations two years in a row is tough and as a first year head coach, I can only continue to work hard and make decisions that I think are best for the club."

Scoring - MacDonnell (0,1) Costello (0,1) Renaud (0,1) Carrigan (0,2) Watts (0,1) McCrory (0,1) D Pipher (1,0) Perroni (2,0) Pullera (0,1) P Pipher (1,1) Hickey (3,0)