Photo credit: Spencer Smye / OJHL Images

Collingwood Blues

The Blades suited up for back-to-back home games on this Halloween weekend. The first of the two came against the powerhouse Blues who came into this contest boasting a 13-1 record. Oakville, who’s loss streak was now extended to 10 games, tried their best in this matchup, but would ultimately end up losing 4-0. This came at no fault to their goaltender as McCarthy carried a .913 save percentage in the game. 

The first period was really well played by Oakville. They held the Blues to only 7 shots and looked as though it was going to be a more competitive game than we had anticipated. Although it was a solid first 20 minutes, it didn’t take long for the Blues to remind Oakville why they are so dominant at the OJHL level. Once Collingwood scored their first goal just 3 minutes into the second, the floodgates opened in Oakville. The Blues would go on to score 2 more goals in the frame and double their shot total from the last period. Okaville only mustered 4 shots on net this period and we headed to the final period with the score being 3-0 for Collingwood. 

The final period boasted several highlights from the Blades goalie, including a beautiful sliding blocker save. Despite McCarthy’s solid play, Collingwood would score another in the period extending their lead to 4-0. After another 4 shot period, Oakville was not able to register a goal to attempt a comeback and the game would finish that way. They would have a chance to redeem themselves the following day against Markham, in what would turn out to be an extremely exciting game. Full boxscore: http://oakvilleblades_ojhl.wttstats.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=3602552.

Markham Royals

The streak is over! Oakville snapped the losing streak against Markham in what was a thrilling back and forth game that needed overtime to determine a winner. The home crowd were undoubtedly thrilled that the Blades were able to grab a win before the break in the schedule. This high-scoring game was really one for those who love offensive displays of skill. The 5-4 OT win was filled with incredible goals from both sides and saw Oakville come out on top just 1:23 into overtime.

The Blades, specifically #10 Wells, shot out of the gate at the start of the game. It only took 27 seconds for him to open the scoring in the second of two back-to-back home games. Picking up speed in his own zone, Wells picked up the puck off a pass from Akimov, wheeled across the neutral zone and made a clean zone entry along the right wing. Once in, he cut to the centre of the ice and fired it at the Royal’s goaltender. The initial shot doesn’t go in but Wells continues on and follows up on the loose puck to slam it home and give the Blades the early advantage. After the early goal, the teams played a back and forth game that saw Markham score once to even it up before the period would come to a close. 

Oakville, who was sporting their superb third jerseys in this game, seemed to have success early on in each period. It only took them another 37 seconds to score after the opening puck drop of the second. This goal developed in a very similar way to the first as well. After a defensive recovery, #26 Churchill found himself with the puck on his stick and began to rush his way up the ice. After entering the offensive zone, he had Akimov and Brown with him in a 3-on-2 opportunity. Akimov charged the net, forcing a defender to go with him, and subsequently this opened up a lot of space for Brown. Too much space for the leading point scorer of any team. Churchill didn’t miss his pass and it was on Brown’s stick for a split second before it was in the back of the net. 

The Blades were playing with a new found sense of optimism as you could see it all starting to click. They were hoping that this could be the night where they could end the big losing streak. Although that would turn out to be the case, this is hockey, and it’s never that easy.

15 minutes later in the second, Markham would score once again. The second period would end 2-2 and we were off to the third, and most offensively active period of the game. 

Unfortunately there was no early goal this period by the Blades, it came from the Royals this time. 5 minutes in, they would strike and tuck one past McCarthy who was playing rather impressively for someone who was playing in his second game in the same amount of nights. It would take another 5 minutes, exactly half-way through the frame, before the Blades' hard work would pay off and they would tie the game up. #13 Taylor used his speed and agility to swerve his way into the opposing end. After losing the puck briefly, he would slide it back to his defenceman as he had drawn 3 Markham players onto him. Fortunately for him, Brown was back there waiting. #44 walked in a couple steps and let it fly on net where Wells was screening the goalie. Wells managed to deflect the puck with his stick right in front of the net and register his second goal of the night!

Not even 2 minutes later the Blades got caught deep in the other zone and left Costante alone to defend a 2-on-1 going the other way. The Markham player slid the puck to the other side of the ice and McCarthy tried desperately to save it but couldn’t make it across in time. It was now 4-3 Royals and the Blades had only 9 minutes to tie it up if they hoped to snap the losing streak. Call it luck, hard work or skill, they didn’t need 9 minutes to score, they only needed 17 seconds. After a short stint in their own zone, #22 Crisp scooped the puck out to #28 Wang who immediately began working his way down to the other end with #71 Johnston right there with him. 

Wang threatened to go around his defender and when he did this it caused the opposing defenceman to reach his stick out to poke the puck off his stick. Wang saw this and used it as an opportunity to slide the puck to a streaking Johnston who had skated right past his defender. While falling, Johnston just got enough of his stick on it to tap it past the goalie and tie the game up. It was now a 4-4 game! Even with some chances on both sides after this, neither team scored before we hit 0.0 remaining in the third period on the scoreboard. We are headed to overtime!

An intense, back-and-forth game had come down to sudden death as we couldn’t solve anything after 60 minutes of regulation play. Only 13 seconds in there was a bug development. Brown got cross-checked right in the numbers and the Blades would start the extra frame with a power play. Brown was luckily not injured and would be out for the rare 4-on-3. The power play group that was sent out would see mixed results through the first half of their tenure. They didn’t really generate anything on the net, despite all this extra space they had. In fact, Markham stole the puck on a poor pass on the man advantage and sent it back to the Oakville end for a change.

Crisp raced down and immediately spun around and lasered a pass to try and catch the Royals off change while making their substitutions. This quick thinking play caused a zone entry and after working to settle the puck down Wang found himself with the puck at the right side of the blue line. Wang slid in a ripped one from the top of the circle. A seemingly routine blocker save happened, but just like Wells did only 27 seconds into the game, Wang hunted for that loose puck. It turns out that the puck he shot would get blocked by the goalie and wind right back at his feet. He wasted no time absolutely blasting that puck and it sailed right by the goalie and popped the bottle straight off the net for the OT winner! 

The players stormed the ice to celebrate and the team, coaches, operations staff and fans all let out a huge sigh of relief. The Blades were back in the win column and what a way to do it. Individually, multiple players put in great multi-point efforts. Wells (2G), Johnston (1G, 1A), Wang (1G, 1A), Brown (1G, 1A) and Crisp (2A) all had big nights and put in great efforts to help the Blades win. Full boxscore: http://oakvilleblades_ojhl.wttstats.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=3602554.

After a little bit of a break, we get to see the Blades come back for another home game, a Remembrance Day game against Stouffville. The Blades will be wearing special blue CADPAT style jerseys sponsored by Glen Oaks Funeral Home & Cemetery. There will be a special pre-game ceremony including local veterans and local service members. Game time is 7:00 PM on November 11, 2022.

By Ty Brooks