Jan 29, 2019 | RNyenhuis | 659 views
Aces Stripped of Perfect Weekend
Aces Perennial Nemesis South Huron Ruins Aces Devilish Fun
The Rod Smith Novice B Aces showed their dominance against the London Devillettes facing them three time in two weeks and skating away undefeated and 2-1-1 on the year with them while falling to the South Huron Sabres at home in their last game of the regular season. The Aces strength continues in their stalwart defence, holding their opposition to a season end 35 goals in 22 games. The girls continue to streak in scoring touch by a combination of three solid steady offensive lines throughout the year.
The girls started their weekend on the big stage against the Devillettes at Budweiser gardens as the opening act for the dominant OHL London Knights. The 'twin tower' line of wingers Macfarlane and Smith netted the Ace goals managing to all but deaden the atmosphere at the gardens for the home fans with the exception of the always rambunctious Ace road crowd. The girls defeated the Devillettes 2-0 in the road exhibition matchup and were star struck by Knight players signing autographs in the dressing room post game.
The girls finished their weekend double header in London by facing the devillettes for their final road game of the season. Ace star goalie Reese Flanagan looked to maintain her clean sheet from the previous night backstopping the gunners against vengeful offensive pressure from devillettes looking to rebound from their humiliation on the big stage the previous night. Offensive breaks came for the Aces as Cameron, Porter and Blain capitalized for a dominating 3-0 win for the second time on the road. Flanny recorded her second shutout in a row and had only allowed 1 goal in her last 4 outings for the Aces.
Fresh off the high dominating the devillettes, the Aces would host their nemesis, the South Huron Sabres for their final game of the season Sunday morning. With southwestern Ontario in the grips of a snowy polar vortex, the Sabres would emerge from the abyss of what is Huron County almost completely undeterred by its notorious zero visibility and would bring their lake effect squalls right into the Stratford Rotary Arena. The Aces, seemingly bogged down by the effects of the early morning whiteout trudged into their last home game completely unprepared for the remains of the white-out that was to come. Although The Sabres bench was short presumably the result of the Vortex' white monster that swallowed up what it could of the Sabres in the treachery of the trek inland to the big city, the bench was still strong and unwilling to be worn down as the Ace defence was penetrated time after time leaving no chance for Flanny to hold on on her own, let alone keeping her shutout streak alive. The Sabres struck early and often silencing the player and most notably the Novice B bench brass who stood almost sleepily dumbfounded and stripped of all emotion in a 6-0 rout.
Post game, coach Cameron commented that the girls had soundly received their reality check for the playoffs and are well aware of what is ahead as they start the playoff and play down series that come, especially since the the only way to the LLFHL and Provincial final is through what is becoming the Ace's neighbouring nightmare - Huron County. The Aces must play down the Heat to get through to the next round of the lower lakes championship, and must play down both the Heat and the Sabres to get to the provincial championship in the GTA in April. Cameron urged that the girls must get back to the basics in preparation and is making sure the girls know that grit and toughness gets them there. They preached to the girls that they must therefore consider themselves the not so sweet 16. The girls head back to London this weekend to hone their grit and determination at the devillettes tournament Friday and Saturday.