Moore makes 'big' save
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Maybe ‘big,’ like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.
Even by Tillsonburg Oldtimer Peewee coach Jeff Holman’s most optimistic estimate, goalie Ryan Moore runs 5’2”, maybe 110 pounds.
But the first-year keeper came up huge against Glanbrooks’ Ethan Mozahai during a Glanbrook ‘stretch’ five-on-three power play Sunday inside the Kinsmen/Memorial Arena to help lock up a 3-2 OMHA BB victory.
“He covers a lot of space,” credited Holman of Moore. “He comes out real well and takes up a lot of room – makes the net look small.”
The Glanbrook two-man advantage kicked off with 4:58 remaining and Tillsonburg leading 3-1, a hooking call exacerbating a slashing minor roughly a minute earlier. For the most part, Tillsonburg’s PK was more-than-equal to the task, although Mozahai found a seam down the heart of the ice, breaking partially into the clear as he reached the slot.
“I was really worried,” confessed Moore, who fully understands the pressure of the big save in the big picture. “I didn’t really know where he was going to shoot, so I came out and played big,” Moore continued.
“He shot it and I kind of knew where it was going before he shot it. I was right there to make the save.”
A Glanbrook goal with four minutes remaining might well have been problematic. Ironically, having killed off the two-man power-play, the Oldtimer peewees would give up a ‘shorty’ on a strong rush outside left and back in through the crease by Glanbrook captain Aydyn Viegos. By that point however, only 52.2 seconds remained and Tillsonburg was able to comfortably kill off the clock, hanging on for a one-goal, game-two victory, surviving a pair of third-period goals.
Braydon Verschueren carried the offensive load for the Canpipe Oldtimer Peewees, counting a natural or pure hat trick across the first two frames.
He went ‘top shelf, right’ on his first, a slapshot teed up said Verschueren, one-on-two from the opposing blueline on an assist to Connor McDowell. Verschueren tucked his second inside the right post after cutting in from the blueline and laterally across in front of the Glanbrook crease.
“I was going left, so I shot it right side because I didn’t think he’d have a chance of stopping it,” he explained of a play, on which Dylan Holman drew the lone assist. Logan Partlo picked up a second helper as Verschueren rounded the ‘trick’ on a McDowell rebound off the goalie’s pad.
“I just swung my stick at it, it hit the post and went in,” Verschueren summed up.
Tillsonburg had opened the six-point OMHA BB set with a 4-1 win a day earlier, said coach Holman.
“All over them,” he said. “We kind of let off a little bit (today) I think, gave them more room.”
Game three is scheduled for Thursday evening, potentially a close-out contest against a Glanbrook squad Verschueren says has ‘got some pretty good players who have good shots and good skating’ – meaning there’s no room to relax until the final victory is won.
“Relaxing is for after the game,” Verschueren concluded. “You’ve got to go three periods hard.”
“Stick to hockey,” added Holman, noting the teams have a little ‘history’ from this regular season, including the peewee equivalent of a line brawl. “We’re going to be ready to go Thursday night and hopefully finish it off.”