Dec 13, 2013 | dblack | 1452 views
Chapman's Ice Cream Minor PeeWees Mid-Season Report.
As we reach the mid-point of the season, the Minor PeeWees continue to grow as a group both on and off the ice and the results are very evident. Despite having a record one game below 500, you drill down to analyze the stats and you have reason for a lot of optimism.
First, you will notice the number of games these boys have outshot the opposition. It was not until the 12th game of the season before these Highlanders were outshot in a game. Through the first 30 games, this team has only been outshot 9 times. On this theme, two games continue to be etched in my mind. The first was the Sunday the Highlanders travelled to Brampton and turned in a defensive gem. On their way to a 2-0 shutout win, they allowed Brampton's first shot at the midway point of the second period and just 4 shots the whole game. They frustrated the '45's all afternoon. The second game that stands out was against the powerful Oakville Rangers. Oakville is ranked 3rd in the Province and the Highlanders allowed just 14 shots. This was a tremendous accomplishment considering Oakville has scored 14 GOALS in a game this season. As a parent, it is a treat to watch. This team allows very few second chances around our net and possess a group of forwards that are always hustling back to help on the defensive side of the game.
Drilling deeper into the stats, this team has avoided the dreaded slump. As many of us are Leaf fans, we know all about the slump. The Leafs would be cruising through November looking like a Stanley Cup contender and then proceed to lose 12 or 15 games in a row and be gone from the playoff picture. The Minor PeeWees are having none of that. They have lost 3 in a row on 1 occasion and that is it. They have been great at bouncing back after a tough loss and learning what it takes to win on a consistent basis.
Finally, one last stat that needs to be mentioned are the number of close games. The Chapman's Minor PeeWees have lost 13 games so far this season. However, 7 of these have been by just one goal. Our goalies of Prues (Hanover) and Kinch (Bruce Peninsula) continue to play well and have a habit for making the "Big" save to keep the score close and giving the Highlanders a chance to win. This is all our coaches can ask from our keepers and they are not letting them down.
With 30 games to go, it will be a great stretch to determine if this Highlander squad are contenders or pretenders. It's been a wild first 30 and I'm sure the last 30 will be just as fun to watch. Keep up the great work boys and go get Oakville this Saturday afternoon.
For individual game summaries, visit the Schedule and Results link on the Minor PeeWee page and click on the individual games.