Minor Bantam A Tigers can’t solve NobleKing goaltending in shutout

January 21, 2015 · 0 Comments

By Jake Courtepatte

Rivalries heated up at the Nobleton Rec Centre on Saturday afternoon as the Minor Bantam A Tigers looked to take four points out of a home-and-home series against the NobleKing Knights.

Having taken the first match 4 – 1 at home on Friday, Aurora’s solid offence was met by even better goaltending on the opposing side.

The game would stay scoreless until the final five minutes of the first period when a NobleKing forward was sprung on a breakaway, faking to backhand and putting the puck in the yawning cage.

The 1 – 0 score on the board after one frame was not reflective of the play, as the majority of the period was spent in the Knights’ end, including the entire final minute.

Aurora’s pressure continued into the second, however, a couple of nice stops from the NobleKing goaltender kept the Tigers scoreless.

The Aurora goaltender put on a show of his own the few times he was tested, making a solid pad save on a semi-breakaway midway through the period.
When the Knights went to the man advantage nearing the second buzzer, five shots were denied over the two-minute span to keep the game tight.

Still 1 – 0 with time winding down in the game, the Tigers were given a glorious opportunity when a roughing call after the whistle put them on the powerplay with four minutes remaining.

Unfortunately for the Tigers, they may have been caught off guard with some strong forechecking by the Knights. NobleKing would double their lead shorthanded with a wraparound that would go through the five-hole.

The Knights goaltender made perhaps the save of the year to preserve his shutout late in the game, diving across the crease with his glove.
Prior to the matchup, the Tigers had won four of their last six games looking to end their season on a high note.

With an 8-20-2 record, they sit eighth in league standings.