Game #15

Period Length

The opening period was a streaky back and forth affair, as the two teams traded stretches of offensive chances. Despite a lot of chances, nobody was able to find the back of the net until the East Lake team was called for a hooking penalty with just under four minutes to play in the period. This gave Riverview a chance with the man advantage, and they were able to take advantage of the extra attacker with three and a half left, thanks to a beautiful fake shot pass that went through the crease where the Ice Sharks forward was in perfect position to tap it home for the 1-0 lead. That would be it for scoring in the first, though a late tripping penalty against the Sharks would give the Eagles some good chances before the period ended.

The second period definitely didn't go the way the Ice Sharks would have liked, as the Eagles dominated the puck throughout. They found the back of the net on their seventh shot of the period less than two and a half minutes in, tying the game at 1 goal apiece. With nine minutes to play they would take the lead for the first time in a flip pass to the crease that was tapped in for an easy goal and a 2-1 lead. Each team would be called for multiple penalties in the period, but it was the last one - a hooking call against Riverview with a little over 90 seconds to play - that would lead to a goal. The Eagles would fire home a wrist shot from the right side of the net with 41.3 seconds left, making it a 3-1 game. That would be the score heading into the final period.

It didn't take long for the East Lake team to continue their scoring streak, as they would knock home a loose rebound just twenty seconds in to widen the lead to 4-1. Like the previous period, there were plenty of whistles in this one as well. In total, there was nine penalties called, five against East Lake with the remainder against Riverview. The Ice Sharks got back on the board during a period of 5 on 5 play, as they made a hard drive to the net that resulted in a shot on goal that trickled into the Eagles goal to make it a 4-2 game with just over four minutes remaining. East Lake took a penalty just forty seconds after the goal, and this one would cost them, as Riverview fired home a backhand shot from in front of the goal and closed the gap to 4-3. Unfortunately for the Ice Sharks, that would be the end of the scoring, and they would fall just short in this contest.