Sarazin shines as Midget Tigers qualify for Silver Stick

December 21, 2016 · 0 Comments

By Jake Courtepatte

The Midget AA Tigers proved Saturday that a low-scoring game can be as exciting as any other.

Aurora’s top-tier minor hockey team booked their ticket to the International Silver Stick competition in Sarnia next month, after a nail-biting 1 – 0 victory over the Humberview Huskies at the Stronach Aurora Recreation Complex.

“Our goalie, Brady Sarazin stood on his head for us,” said head coach Don Ferry. “Brady always comes to the game focused and ready to shut our opponents down.”

In a one-game showdown to book their ticket, both teams came out with the ferocity of a playoff matchup.

The Huskies controlled most of the first period with heavy pressure in the Aurora end, forcing Sarazin to make a number of key saves. At the other end, Sam Speranini had one of the few quality chances for the Tigers in the frame, going in on a late breakaway but firing it off the shoulder of the Huskies goalie.

With the game still scoreless in the second period, Sarazin continued his solid play, smothering most shots with very few rebound opportunities.

Aurora finally seemed to find their legs while on the penalty kill midway through the second, allowing very little zone time for the Huskies and earning cheers from the home crowd. The kill seemed to spark the Tigers, who had the majority of the chances late in the second, though a 0 – 0 tie followed the teams into intermission.

Penalty troubles returned for the third, however, as three-straight Tigers penalties resulted in the home team spending almost the entire first half of the period shorthanded.

“We had to battle many short-handed situations,” said Ferry. “And our work on the penalty kill in practices really paid off as Humberview could not find the back of the net.”

The Huskies thought they had scored on their third powerplay in a row, but Sarazin was rewarded by the iron for his strong play so far.

Shortly after, with time winding down, Matthew Ferry broke in alone shorthanded, finding the five hole of the Huskies goalie with defen
semen on his tail to break the deadlock.

With the Huskies desperate to tie the game late, Aurora captain Andrew Sergejewich helped out his goalie with a tenacious backcheck to stop a Huskies shorthanded breakaway of their own.

It was only fitting that the game ended with another Sarazin save, forced to dive on the puck in the crease with just four seconds to go and preserve the win.

The win continues a positive trend for the Tigers, who have won three of their past four regular season games to claw within two points of second place in the York-Simcoe Hockey League.

“The boys have shown a keen ability to rise to the occasion this season, especially against some of the top ranked teams in Ontario,” said Ferry. “We play an up-tempo game and strive to grind teams down over three periods.”

They return to action after the Christmas break, hosting the Richmond Hill Stars on January 4.