Action from Game 2 of the Best-of-3 grand final series in Pee Wee Division 1 (11-13 year old) ice hockey played at the Ice Arena, Adelaide, South Australia on 12/09/2021. After grabbing Game 1 the week before, the Jets were looking to wrap up the series and take out the championship, while the Huskies were looking at taking the series to Game 3 by tying the series. Goaltenders were Zac Mirfin for the Jets and Riley Knapp for the Huskies. All players were present for both teams for this exciting encounter (who would miss a grand final?).
Both teams kept each other honest for the first half of the 1st period with neither side finding a way past the excellent defences of both teams. That was until the 9:55 mark on the clock. The Jets would open the scoring with Luka Loria putting the Jets ahead, unassisted. The Huskies didn’t take that lying down and immediately struck back, must to the Jets surprise as Ilya Truuse combined with Micah Ung to even the ledger. The Jets would score the go-ahead goal with 6mins remaining as Callum Shea got himself on the scoresheet after an assist from Anika Wegund. A tripping minor to Lachlan Henly with just under 3mins remaining would give the Huskies the powerplay and the chance to get their scoring unit to equalise. However, the Jets defence had other ideas and iced the puck on numeroud occasions (finally 😉 to send the Huskies defence back deep. That kept the scoreline the same going into the first break.
The 2nd period was back and forth hockey with neither team getting past the goaltenders and defenders managing to clear the puck out of the danger zone. Eventually, deep into the period with 2mins remaining, the Huskies players passed to Truuse who got onto his favourite left side of the goals all by himself and scored from reasonably far out. The score was now 2-all and anyone’s game. The Jets would have to contain Truuse as they had with the other usual scorers and the Huskies would have tie down regular goal scorers Yongen Song and Elijah Kelly. They had been successful so far with 2 players often shadowing Song going forward preventing any chance of a breakaway, his trademark.
The game remained tight with all players providing the enthusiastic spectators an entertaining game. Neither team gave an inch. But at just over 8mins remaining in the game Song was able to put the Jets noses in front with the assist being awarded to Jordan Kutsche. Eight minutes to defend a slender lead with the hard charging Huskies through everything at them. This time though, they prevented Truuse from getting on his favourite side! Everything fell into the Huskies laps when Jets Luka Loria headed to the penalty box with just over 2mins remaining in this tight game after the ref deemed him for goal tender interference although it was argued that goaltender bounced off the immovable Loria. The Huskies played to save the series, and the Jets defended like their lives depended on it and with the puck held down in the own zone it was desperation all round. The horn would beat the Huskies and Jets would take out 2021 season. It would be the last time we would see some of the players as they will be playing Bantams next year. Shots on goal for the game were: Mirfin for the Jets facing 20 shots, and Knapp for the Huskies facing 17 shots.
I, for one, want to thank all Pee Wee Division 1 players and their respective coaches for such an exciting 2021 season.
