DUCKS WIN A TOUGH ONE

2010-01-31


Nick Brewster nets the winner

The Bay Ducks managed to win another close one on Saturday night, as they edged the surging Windsor Royals 5-4, in what may be a preview of the first playoff series.


The Ducks (22-6-1) are firmly entrenched at the top of the Fred Fox Division.  The Royals (11-15-1) are struggling for their playoff lives as just 3 points seperate them from the East Hants Penguins for the last playoff spot.

Saturday's game was the second leg of a home and away between the Ducks and Royals, and after defeating the Ducks 5-1 in Windsor on Friday night, the Royals were predicting Duck for supper on Saturday. For the first two periods it looked like they might be right.

The Royals came out gunning, with a goal just 9 seconds into the game (Mosher, from Webb and White). At 6.45 the Ducks replied with a powerplay goal from Jake Bullen (Bellefontaine and Blanchard), but the Royals regained the lead just over a minute later when White this time (Mosher and Webb) hit the back of the net.

In the second Windsor went ahead 3-1 (Jackaman from Banks and MacGowan), before the Ducks pulled within one with just over a minute to go in the period (Blanchard, from Brewster and Nic Jessome).

The third period was hard and fast. The Ducks tied it at 3.32 (Duffy, from Grant and Shannon), and the Royals again took the lead at 5.09 (Mosher, from Webb and White again). The Ducks wouldn't give up, and at 7.49 they tied it again (Bowness, from Bullen and MacDonald). No one was leaving their seats.

At 17.46 Claude LaMothe was called for tripping, and the Ducks went on the powerplay. At 19.16 Nick Brewster (Bullen and Duffy) hit a line drive through traffic that sent the goalies water bottle flying and put the Ducks ahead. That was it and the Ducks took both points.

With it looking very possible that these teams will meet again come late February, the Ducks will need to find an answer to the Mosher-Webb-White line, responsible for three of the Royals four goals.