A Homecoming to Remember
Peterborough, ON – On a night when four members of the Trout returned to an old home, The Brampton Steelheads doubled up the Peterborough Petes with a 6-3 final score.
The Steelheads got off to a slow start, as it took over eight and a half minutes to record their first shot on the Peterborough goal. Within that time the Petes tallied a pair of quality chances on Jack Ivankovic.
First, after securing the puck in his own zone, Gabe Chiarot attempted to pass the puck off the boards to Jakub Fibigr. The seemingly routine play turned dangerous when the puck kicked off the boards right to Adam Levac in front. The rookie tried to chip it past a surprised Ivankovic, but the Steelheads’ netminder reacted in time to keep it out.
Then, with just over fourteen minutes to play, the Petes came inches from the icebreaker. Similarly to the first chance, a seemingly routine play turned into a near goal. This time it was a clean faceoff win from Luke Misa that went straight to Jonathan Melee in front of the net. The Petes’ captain deked around Ivankovic, but his backhand slid through the crease, but the danger wasn’t over yet. Gavin Bryant found the loose puck on the far side, ripping it on goal, but his bid rang iron.
Though it took a while for the Steelheads to record their first shot on net, it did not take long after that for the Trout to find the back of the net. Luke Misa started the play by picking off a deflected breakout pass before dropping for Porter Martone. Brampton’s captain faked a shot on goal, and quickly snapped it to Angus MacDonell on the wing. Zach Bowen slid over in an attempt to stop MacDonell’s chance, but MacDonell read it well, faking a shot before sliding it to the empty crease. The puck bounced around in front before Porter Martone found it, jamming it into Peterborough’s empty cage. The hometown kid’s 31st on the season gave Brampton a 1-0 lead.
The teams went to four-on-four action with just under seven minutes to play when Porter Martone took a penalty, before using his agitation skills to take Genc Ula with him. The Petes came close to an answer in the dying seconds of the extra ice opportunity. Braydon McCallum flew in on Jack Ivankovic from the right wide side, but a fast backcheck from Finn Harding disrupted his bid.
Action slowed down until just under five minutes into the second when the Steelheads doubled their lead. A pair of former Petes connected when Jack Van Volsen won a faceoff straight back to Stevie Leskovar. The veteran blue liner corraled the puck into a shooting position where he snapped a shot to the top shelf. His first goal of the season made it 2-0 Trout.
Just over a minute later, Brampton continued to add to their lead. Following a dump-in, Carson Rehkopf raced to the loose puck winning a battle before poking it towards the net. Lucas Karmiris jumped at the opportunity, picking up the puck, deking to the backhand, and roofing it upstairs on Zach Bowen.
Peterborough looked to swing pressure the other way at the halfway point in the frame. While at four-on-four, Quinton Pagé burst in on a two-on-one with Martin Matejicek. The veteran elected to shoot it himself, as he looked five-hole on Ivankovic, but Jack was ready for his shot.
The Petes were not discouraged by the Ivankovic stop, as just two minutes later they got on the board. This chance started in a similar fashion with Francis Parish leading a two-on-one with Gavin Bryant. Like Pagé, Parish elected to shoot it himself, this time in search of a rebound. His strategy worked, as the puck bounced off Ivankovic’s pad straight to the stick of Bryant who jammed home the rebound.
It did not take long for Brampton to restore the three-goal lead, as three minutes later they found the back of the net. Carson Rehkopf created the opportunity with a burst of speed of the left wing. The Seattle Kraken prospect’s shot was stopped by Easton Rye, but he did not give up, tapping the puck into the slot. Aidan Lane jumped into the lane, scooping up the loose puck before jamming it off the post and in.
The rookie was not done there, as with just ten seconds left in the period he extended the Brampton lead to 5-1. Spencer Sova displayed his smooth skating as he circled the Peterborough zone. The veteran found his D-Partner Jakub Fibigr at the point who ripped a shot on goal. Fibigr’s bid fell behind Rye where Aidan Lane outmuscled Carson Cameron for the loose puck, burying his second goal in just three minutes.
Carson Rehkopf came close to further extending the Brampton lead in the opening minutes of the third. Aidan Lane continued to display his offensive abilities with a stretch pass to Rehkopf. The former dangerous goalscorer kicked the puck to his stick, but the back pressure caught up with him before he could get a clean shot.
With just over sixteen minutes to play, Peterborough answered back to make it 5-2. Martin Matejicek sprung Francis Parish up the ice with a long breakout feed. The rookie broke the Brampton line before loading up and releasing a bullet past the glove of Jack Ivankovic.
The Steelheads re-established the four-goal with just under ten minutes to play. When Luke Misa kept the puck in the zone, Porter Martone found it, sending a spin-o-rama pass to the slot. Angus MacDonell stepped into the lane with a howitzer one-timer top-shelf on Rye. His 26th goal of the season made it 6-1 Brampton.
In the final minutes of play, the Petes looked to start a late rally. After winning a battle on the half-wall, Braydon McCallum threw a shot in the direction of the Brampton net. Quinton Pagé got a stick on it as he flew across the net mouth, and it was enough to deflect the puck between the legs of Jack Ivankovic. Pagé’s tenth of the season brought Peterborough back within three, but that was as far as the comeback went with the Steelheads hanging on 6-3
The Steelheads are back in action on Friday for their St. Patrick’s Day game. You won’t want to miss out on the fun, so grab your tickets here!
