Solid Win to Wrap Regular Season for Merchants

By Mark Stehlin

With their second win in two nights, at home Friday with a 13-10 over Hamilton and on the road Saturday 15-8 over Clearview, the Brooklin Merchants wrap up the 2024 campaign with an impressive record of 14-2.  The win was well-timed as playoffs start next Friday in Brooklin when they will face the Hamilton Bengals in the first round.

It was the Crushers who would come out strong to start this game, they led 3-2 after the first period and were up 2-0 in the first five minute

The visitors rallied with two quick power play goals to take their first lead of the night and never looked back. They led 7-5 after forty minutes. In that middle frame, Christian Watts scored three markers, added to the two he scored in the first, for five goals on the night. 

The third was more of the same as both ends of floor looked strong.  The Merchants were on a mission and won that final frame by a score of 8-3.  Zac Carrigan and Darren Elliott notched two each in that period for the win.

Head Coach Ryan Degerdon said, "I was worried about their attitude and saw the boys in warm up with a lackluster attitude and they were dragging their feet, I went on the floor to remind of our goals this season."  

While the game started slow for the visitors it didn't take long for them to find their groove. Degerdon and Mark Debrone had expectations this season and one was to win each period. The squad accomplished that two of three times and Degerdon's concern about a slow start was eased.

Degerdon said, "once the boys started to find their feet, bounce after bounce came our way and we were off to the races." 

He reported, "they held their sticks a little looser, knew they had a job to do and never got too high with the lead. I saw Lukas step up and he stopped some important shots on their transition. " 

He added, "the offense played with freedom tonight, their feet were moving and the ball was finding sticks." 

He was thrilled with the play and described it as "poetry in motion."

Scoring for the Merchants - P Pipher (1,4) Tucker (1,4) Morgan (1,0) Pullera (2,4) Elliott (2,2) Boyd (0,1) Goodchild (0,2) Watts (5,1) Carrigan (2,3) Hamley (0,1) Costello (1,1)

Round one of the playoffs is scheduled to start at home for the Merchants on Friday as they host the Hamilton Bengals, stay tuned to social media for all details.

This is the last week to register for the golf tournament, check in with Gavin Prout - gavin@sbis.ca for all details and brsponsors@gmail.com for e-transfers.