Lesson Learned – Jr. Varsity vs Black Wings
The Vans were loaded and ready to go by 12:25, 5 minutes earlier than planned but the boys were ready. We’re they ever Ready. The 3rd game of the new Season and the trip home would be a loud one. After losing 12-2 last weekend the boys learned how rough it can be when they don’t work together.
This afternoon in Linz they put on a show to make any coach proud. Although the talent pool on the other side of the ice might have been a little better, the better group Team effort on this day was the L.A. Stars. It seems as the boys did learn a lesson last weekend and this week they we’re giving one. The Discipline the Stars showed was outstanding, frustrating the opponents into many mistakes. The Black Wings were very surprised by the Stars pressure all over the ice surface. Garrit Blume made a great play to keep the puck in the zone getting it to Thomas Zitz who layed it out to Cedric Irhuesogie who finished off the play tucking the puck up in the top corner to open the scoring 3:41 into the game. The Black Wings then realized this day would not be an easy one. They responded with a breakaway goal to even it up after the first period.
The Wings came out flying in the Second but the Stars stuck together and held them in check. At 21:28 after two huge saves by Dominik Dieber the puck jumped right to a Black Wing Player who buried the rebound and take the lead. The Stars came back on 5 minute Power Play, Alexander Bartenbach dangled one player and then drew the defender to him before dishing to Nikita Zantmans who put one off the post and in to tie the game once again. On the same Power play Emil Sztatecny banked a pass to Hugo Jansens who found Vladimir Rodnov on the far side of the net for a beautiful combination and a 3-2 lead. The lead didn’t last very long as 42 seconds later in a scramble in front of the net the Black Wings Player whacked a puck that got through traffic and passed the screened Dieber. 3-3 after the second but this time the atmosphere in the dressing room was a little different than last weekend.
The boys came out in the third with a determination to get their first win of the season and their hard work would pay off, in the 47th minute of play after some great aggressive forechecking, the Russian Line would get the eventual game winner. Daniil Ovchinnikov chipped the puck away from the defender and Eddy Kusnetsov made a great pass to Vadim Berezhnoy who slammed it into the open net. The Wings came hard and put some pressure on the Stars but Dieber was solid and would not be beat again on this day.
It was a great team effort and great to watch the boys come together and celebrate their first win of the season.
Linz Black Wings:L.A. Stars 3:4 (1:1,2:2,0:1) PIM 62:18
