The Fort St. John Petroleum Association Tier 2 Midget Flyers took to the road on Saturday night to play their second All Peace League game of the season. Puck dropped @ 7:45 p.m. in Chetwynd.
Period One
The game started like a heavyweight fight with both teams feeling each other out. A few chances but most of the action sporadic with no quality scoring chances. A good body check by Flyers Chad Roberts, stopping a Chetwynd skater at the Flyers blue line seemed to knock the cob webs out of both teams and the action heated up.
The scoring opened at 6:45 when Justin Rattray collected a loose puck following a face off win in the Flyers zone. He carried the puck out to center, fed Dayne Pedersen at the Chetwynd blue line. Dayne split the defence and snapped a low wrist shot glove side that beat the net minder. It was the Flyers first shot on net.
The Flyers held a 1-0 lead after one. They were outshot 8-6 Both teams went 0-1 on the Power Play.
Period Two
Looking to build on a solid road period, Fort St. John came out skating., utilizing a solid break out and crisp passes. After a face off win the defence moved the puck up to a breaking Brendan Beamish who carried the puck into the Chetwynd zone dropped it to Brennan Straiger who went directly to the slot and beat the goalie with a wrist shot high to the blocker side. 2-0 Flyers .
Chetwynd roared back just over two minutes later on the PP when the right winger found a seam and went in uncontested to beat Fort St. John starting goalie Craig Wozniak high to the glove side. Two minutes later with Chetwynd again on the PP, Brett McLean looking to relieve the pressure after a face off in the Fort St. John zone , coolly dumped the puck up the ice . In a show of good anticipation , Justin Rattray took off out of the FSJ zone and easily blew past the flat footed backcheckers. He went in on a breakaway and beat the goalie with a perfect shot off the post and in. Fort St. John regained their two goal lead.
Less than two minutes later with the home team enjoying their third PP of the period, they took advantage of a tired PK squad and scored their second goal. Before the Flyers could regroup, the Duz Cho Chetwynd Midgets scored twice more to take a 4-3 lead.
Undeterred, the visiting Flyers kept charging and tied it up while skating 4 on 4. Dayne Pedersen picked up a loose puck at the Fort St. John blue line and with the extra room on the ice skated through and around all the defenders to pot an unassisted marker with 6:29 remaining in the period.
The Flyers momentum was short lived as Chetwynd rebounded @ the 5:46 mark after defensive miscue gave a Chetwynd forechecker an early Christmas gift that got deposited five hole on a surprised Wozniak.
The period ended with the home town team up 5-4 . Fort St. John out shot Chetwynd 11-9. Chetwynd went 2 for three with the man advantage and Fort St. John went 0 for two.
Period Three
Chetwnd with the lead came out in the third determined to stay on top. The play slowed down with the home team content to dump the puck out and force Fort St. John to go 200 ft every time.
Half of a period later , enjoying their second man advantage of the period Chetwynd scored to take a 6-4 lead.
FSJ responded al;most instantly 44 seconds later off the the stick of Brett Young . He out muscled the Chetwynd defenders behind the net and beat the goalie with an unassisted marker high to the short side from an almost impossible angle. The Flyers were within one.
Three minutes later while defending another Chetwynd man advantage, Brett Young kept the puck in at the Chetwynd blue line with a tenacious fore check. He chipped it past the defender and after a pretty give and go with a hustling Brennan Straiger had a tap in to draw the Flyers even 6-6.
The Flyers kept the pressure on and in the eyes of the officials got too aggressive. Fort St. John was assessed back to back penalties and played three on five for the remaining 1:46 of the game.
Despite the adversity or possibly because of it the Flyers mounted a strong and tenacious defensive stand.
They held the home town Duz Cho Midgets to 3 shots with the two man advantage and skated away with a hard fought point on the road with a 6-6 tie.
Chetwynd outshot Fort St. John 11-8 in the period and 28-26 over the game.
Chetwynd 1-4 on PP in the period Fort St. John did not have a PP in the third period..
NOTE: The All Peace League has not introduced OT or Shoot outs to settle regular season games.
Next action for the Petroleum Association Midget Flyers:
Tournament in Quesnel December 5-7.
SUMMARY
FSJ Goals : Pedersen (2) B.Young (2) Rattray (1) Straiger (1)
FSJ Assists : Rattray (1) B.McLean (1) Straiger (1) Beamish (1)
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