Neepawa split weekend home games
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- Published on Wednesday, November 9, 2016
Photo by Eoin Devereux. Jordan Martin (27) moves the puck towards the Winnipeg defensive zone, during Neepawa’s home game against the Blues on Sunday, Nov. 4. At the end of regulation, it was Neepawa who picked up the 3-2 win.
By Eoin Devereux
Neepawa Banner/Neepawa Press
While a pair of recent home games for the Neepawa Natives earned them two points in the standings, perhaps they provided them with something even more valuable; a new sense of confidence.
It took an outstanding goaltending effort, combined with a little bit of luck, for the Portage Terriers (13-3-0) to hold on a 2-1 win over Neepawa on Friday, Nov. 4. The Natives started the game by putting some early pressure on the Terriers in their own zone, but were unable to capitalize. Then, late in the first, penalty troubles put Neepawa at a two man disadvantage, which the Terriers would quickly pounce upon, with a Ty Enns goal to make it 1-0. Kirklan Lycar and Jeremey Leipsic recorded the assists.
Calvin Bilid doubled the lead for the visitors at 1:56 of the second, with his sixth goal and 13th point of the season. After that, Neepawa began to overrun the Portage squad, creating several scoring opportunities. Then, half way through the middle frame, that hard work would finally pay off, as John McCammon put away his fourth goal of the campaign. Ashton Anderson and Justin Metcalf assisted on the play, to cut the Portage lead in half at 2-1. For the rest of the second, Neepawa continued to push for the tying goal and had several oh-so-close opportunities, but couldn’t pull the trigger on the equalizer. For the period, Neepawa outshot Portage 18-4
It was simply more of the same in the third, as Neepawa pressured the Terriers throughout, but couldn’t find a way to get one past goaltender Brock Aiken, who ended the night with a 33 save effort and the win. Despite the defeat, though, Neepawa proved that they could compete with the best the MJHL had to offer.
After a night off, which featured them taking some time to participate in the eighth annual Neepawa Sports Dinner, the players returned to the ice on Sunday, Nov. 6 for an important showdown with the Winnipeg Blues (7-10-2). Before the game, Neepawa trailed Winnipeg by six points in the standings, so a victory over the Blues would make the battle for a seventh place in the standings just a bit more dramatic. At the end of regulation, it would prove to be Neepawa’s night, as they outlasted the Blues, by a 3-2 score.
With an assist from game sponsor HyLife Foods, an estimated 600+ fans filled the Yellowhead Centre for this very important early season matchup. The excited assembly witnessed a well deserved win for the home side, though the visiting Blues did make them earn it.
It was Winnipeg who opened up the scoring in the first, with forward Matt Leblanc scoring his fifth of the year. But early in the second, Brad Marshall put away his fifth goal and sixth point of the season to tie things up at 1-1. Jordan Martin and Kruz Listmayer assisted on the play.
Quickly after that, the Natives took advantage of a power-play opportunity, as Martin would score to make it 2-1 for the home side. Ashton Anderson and Matthew Millan picked up the helpers on that one.
In the third, Neepawa cushioned its lead at the 11:23 mark, with a Zach Johnson goal. Newcomer Braedan Binda collected an assist, while Martin claimed his second assist and third point of the night on the play. A few minutes later, Winnipeg would make things interesting, by scoring their second, cutting the lead to just one goal. Neepawa would hold on, however, as goaltender Evan Robert would pick up his second win of the season, but first with Neepawa, in the 3-2 decision. The victory improved Neepawa to 6-12-0 on the season. After Neepawa’s road game to Steinbach on Wednesday, Nov. 9 (Game completed after the Banner publication deadline), the team heads to Winnipeg on Sunday, Nov. 13 to face the Blues, then heads back to Steinbach for another matchup with the Pistons on Wednesday, Nov. 16. The next home game at the Yellowhead Centre will be on Nov. 19-20, when the OCN Blizzard travel to Neepawa for a pair of games.
