Brampton takes battle of the best
BRAMPTON, ON- The “Battle of the Best” went in the Steelhead’s favour after Carson Rehkopf scored 3 points for a 6-3 victory over the Knights.
The Steelheads made a statement in today’s game as they dominated over the Knights in their first match-up of the season.
Rekhopf got things started for the Steelheads with a goal only 16 seconds into the first. Porter Martone fed Rehkopf a pass in the neutral zone, leading to an offensive rush into the Knights’ zone and a bardown goal from the left faceoff dot.
After Stevie Leskovar was sent to the box for tripping, the Steelheads set up a strong defensive front that the Knights could not get past. Despite being a man-down, Martone poke-checked the puck away from Logan Hawley, setting himself up for a breakaway. He deked out Owen Willmore and buried the puck in the net, scoring the Steelhead’s first short-handed goal of the night.
A trend of special team goals remained steady throughout the game, as six out of the nine goals scored were either short-handed or on the power play.
Martone assisted on the game’s second goal after making a stealthy pass over to Rehkopf at the Knight’s blue line. With an open lane, Rehkopf snipped a shot over Willmore’s shoulder, scoring another bar-down goal and the Steelhead’s only power-play goal.
The Steelheads dominated the rest of the period, consistently keeping puck possession and the lead at 3.
Similar to period one, the Steelheads came out strong, scoring yet another goal within the first minute. With a 3-on-2 offensive rush, Martone set Rehkopf up for a one-timer opportunity, but Willmore saved it. Off the rebound, the puck deflected off Angus MacDonell and landed perfectly for Spencer Sova to score it into the open net.
Adam Zidlicky had many chances throughout the first and second periods. Yet, his first opportunity was called no-goal due to goalie interference. With a fire laid underneath him, Zidlicky went out and scored two back-to-back goals. His first goal came on the penalty kill after intercepting a pass in the neutral zone. On a breakaway, he deked out Willmore and buried it top-shelf.
Back at full strength and with a new goalie, Alexei Medvedev, in net, Zidlicky went back out and scored his second goal. Starting from behind the net, he carried the puck around the right circle up to the point, deking out two Knights players before snipping it into the goal.
Despite being down 6-0, the Knights did not give up the fight easily and utilized the power of special teams to add three goals to the board before the game’s closure.
After Martone was called for a high stick, the Knights immediately took advantage of the extra man. Sam Dickinson fed the puck to Cohen Bidgood, who scored off the bar from down-low.
Bidgood continued this momentum into the third, scoring a short-handed breakaway goal four minutes into the period.
Penalties seemed to be the Steelheads’ enemy in the third as the Knights took control of the last 20 minutes. Blake Arrowsmith scored the third and final goal for London after tipping it off Henry Brzustewicz’s shot from the point.
The goals were nothing on Jack Ivankovic as he made a series of incredible saves late into the third, ending the game with a 6-3 victory over the Knights.
The Steelheads look to further their win streak tomorrow in Niagara against the Ice Dogs. The Steelheads will return home next Fri, October 11, for Pink in the Rink. For tickets, click here.
