Stephens Equipment Highlander Bantams Bring Game to Rangers, News, Bantam, 2011-2012 (Grey-Bruce Highlanders AAA Minor Hockey Association)

    The first game was the first meeting between the two teams for this hockey season, so the Highlanders only knew they were playing a good team that just came off finishing as runner-up in the Toronto Marlboros tournament over the holidays.  The Highlanders were also missing two players in this game, so AP player Kyle Betts filled in for one of the positions, putting a strong effort for the game.  The first period saw the Oakville Rangers come out strong and opened the scoring early at 13:28 to set the tone of the game.  The Stephens Equipment crew ended up with two 4 minute long man-advantage stretches in this period - with the later one carrying half of the  penalty over into the second period – but couldn’t mount any effective pressure in the Rangers zone to tie the game up.  The second period saw little change in play, as Oakville continued pressing the play, with the Highlanders playing a patient defensive game, looking for a break to tie things up.   At 3:15 the Rangers got their second goal to take a 2-0 lead.  Early in the third period, the Highlanders started to press back harder in order to break the goose-egg and Ben Van Ooteghem (Saugeen Shores) got that goal, only to have it called back because the net came off in the play.  As the game ground on, the Rangers got the benefit of a 4 minute man-advantage and they went to work, scoring at 5:42 in the first two minutes of the power play and then at 3:55 during the second two minutes of the man-advantage to take a 4-0 lead that held up to the end of the game.

    On Sunday the Stephens Equipment Crew were down at Joshua’s Creek Arenas for game two of the home-and-away, determined to finish better than they did the day before.  They started off well, playing aggressively and throwing some good solid checks early in the game, notably a couple delivered by Tyler Rolphe (Shelburne) and Brady Anderson (Chesley) which put Oakville back on their heels and the aggressive attack also drew a hooking penalty to the Rangers.  The Highlanders took advantage of the power play and at 12:35 Caleb Stephens (Collingwood) fired the puck into an open net off a rebound from a Garrett McFadden (Kincardine) shot from the point.  Jamison Buck (Collingwood) picked up an assist on the play.  With the pressure on Oakville, the Highlanders were soon with another four-minute man-advantage, but the Rangers settled down back into their own game and after killing the first two minutes, managed to score a short-handed goal at 8:07 to even the score up at 1-1.  During a bad line-change by the Highlanders, the Rangers scored again at 5:12 to take a 2-1 lead in the game.  This didn’t upset the Stephen Equipment crew as they stayed within their game plan and patiently waited out the Rangers.  The Rangers got a number of shots on net, with some good chances, but Nick Redman (Collingwood) played good and positioned himself well in goal to repel the Rangers attack.  Getting down to the final minutes of the game, the Highlanders still hadn’t given up and at 3:02, while the team was pressuring in the Rangers zone, the home team tried to clear the puck out only to have it intercepted by Logan Davidson (Creemore) who wristed a partially screened shot on goal that beat the Oakville goalie high on his glove side, tying the game up at 2-2.  Ben Van Ooteghem (Saugeen Shores) and Hunter Robins-Gibbons (North-Bruce Peninsula) received assists on the play.  To add a little more excitement to the end of the game, with about one minute left in regulation time, the Rangers were given a penalty.  The Stephens Equipment crew gave it a good try but couldn’t score on the man-advantage, leaving the game tied at 2-2.   Overall, the team played a great game, especially when they stuck to their game plan, and the fans were delighted with the results.

    The Highlanders next game is this coming Saturday, January 14^th, in Chesley at 2:00 pm against the St. Catharines Niagara North Stars.