Grrrowl knocks off top-seeded Jamestown, captures Knox Cup

March 29, 2009

The Grrrowl jumped on its chances early on in overtime as it had two 5-on-3 power plays to start the extra period. Chance’s heroics came on the second power play and just moments after Josh Tucker nearly notched the game-winner after his shot hit the side post on a breathtaking breakaway.

The outcome didn’t always look favorable for the Grrrowl as the Jets scored two goals quickly following the injury of Brock Donnelly with no score late in the first period. Donnelly left the game after allegedly receiving an elbow which was not called by officials.

With the Grrrowl missing one of its weapons and in a 2-0 deficit, the Jets captured the momentum and seemed to control the game’s fate and knock the wind out of the Grrrowl sails as the first period closed.

The Grrrowl however regrouped and implausibly returned to strength in the second with two scores of its own by Chance and Kevin Tejchma.

With the game locked at two and the slate wiped clean for a nail-biting third period, the Grrrowl attacked and took a 3-2 lead on Tejchma’s second goal of the game.

The Grrrowl steadily maintained control throughout the third until Jamestown’s Tyler Nelson netted the game-tying score with 4:44 remaining, which set the stage for a thrilling and uncertain finish.

The Grrrowl had several chances to net the game-winner but could not slip one past Jamestown’s Lorne Shotwell before the end of regulation.

Penalties forced the Jets to start overtime short-handed and could not keep the floodgates closed on the Grrrowl, which swiftly pounced on the Jets’ less-crowded zone. The Grrrowl prevailed on the second of two overtime power plays to seal the victory and claim the Knox Cup.

It was Chance and Tejchma who established a much-needed rapport in the absence of Donnelly and led the way for the Grrrowl, and not Zach Bachnak and Tucker who were relatively quiet in the series after lighting up the scoreboard in the first round against the Wooster Oilers.

Bachnak and Tucker did however lead the team in points scored during the playoffs with 11.

More importantly, however, it was their supporting cast that got it done in the championship series. Chance and Tejchma stepped up in the clutch and Adam Strasser provided a huge lift in the series both with his energy and crucial points on the board in Game 1.

Lucas Fournier, who got the nod in goal over usual-starter Louis Morin for all three games during the championship series, was the honorary MVP in the series as he held off the potent Jets’ offensive scorers with save totals of 49, 43 and 44 in the three games.

Chris Clark, who was a key force in the Grrrowl defensive zone, also contributed with two goals and an assist in the series.

The Grrrowl, which has had its way with the Jets in recent weeks, proved that its final regular season wins against the playoffs’ top-seeded team was not just a fluke, as they battled through three tight games in the championship series, including two that were decided in OT.

Strasser provided the lift the Grrrowl needed in Game 1 with two goals as the Grrrowl defeated the Jets 3-2 on Saturday to claim a crucial 1-0 lead in the series.

Down 3-1 in Game 2 earlier on Sunday, the Grrrowl rallied to tie in both the second and third periods and forced overtime. The Grrrowl however coughed up the game-winner on Joe Coyne’s power play score just moments into OT resulting in a 5-4 loss and forcing Game 3.

Earlier in the season, the outcome might have been quite different given the circumstances. In a Game 3 against the Jets, a team which had over 30 wins during the regular season and was such a dominant force in the league, and after playing five games in a weekend span, the Grrrowl might not have been as fortunate.

Though when it came down to the playoffs, the time when it mattered the most, the Grrrowl was no under-‘dog’; they were simply ‘top-dog’.

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