This week the Stephens Equipment Highlanders hosted two home games, one on Tuesday night against the Burlington Eagles and the other Saturday afternoon versus the number one ranked Oakville Rangers.
The
Tuesday night game started off slowly but as the game progressed the
Highlanders put on more pressure and with about 2-1/2 minutes left in the 1st
period Brady Anderson scored on a nice set up by Ethan Skinner to give the
Stephens Equipment team a 1-0 lead going into the next period.
Early
in the second period Ben Van Ooteghem put the Highlanders up 2-0 when he was
sent in alone on the net by Kyle Betts.
Garrett McFadden also assisted on the play. Forty seconds later Caleb Stephens found
himself alone with the puck at the side of the net and stuffed it in for a 3-0
Highlanders lead; Spencer Elder and Jamison Buck assisting on the goal.
Six
minutes into the third period the Highlanders took a 4-0 lead when Skinner
knocked his own rebound shot into the net.
About two minutes later the Eagles spoiled Tyler Fassl's shutout bid
with a power play goal and end the game with a 4-1 win for the Highlanders.
On
Saturday the Stephens Equipment Highlanders hosted the Oakville Rangers in
Chesley. The last time they met the
Highlanders quickly opened a 2-0 only to see the Rangers come back to win. This time Oakville got the jump on the
Highlanders, scoring about two minutes into the first period for a 1-0 lead.
The home team held off the Rangers to get through the period as the visitors
pressed hard, having lost earlier this week to the Southern Tier Admirals and
wanting to get back on the horse - so to speak.
The
second period saw the play even out more but saw a penalty shot awarded to the
Rangers when a defending Highlander player put his hand on the puck in the
crease during a penalty kill. Goalie
Nick Redman came up with a big glove save to keep the score at 1-0. The Highlanders then had some of their own
scoring chances to tie up the game but couldn't capitalize on the plays.
Finally,
with about 4-1/2 minutes left in the game the Highlanders evened up the
score. It started with Anderson
completing his fore-check deep in the Rangers end which freed the puck for
Jordan Vanhaelemeesch, who passed it to Skinner, left alone in front of the net. Skinner beat the Oakville net minder to tie
the game for the final 1-1 score.
The
Highlanders next game will be Saturday, November 17th when they travel to
Niagara Falls to play a double-header against the River men and then on Sunday
a match versus the Welland Southern Tier Admirals.