The Canton Golden Bears Varsity Boys Hockey team scraped out another gritty win, this time against Potsdam, 6-5 in overtime.
The Bears started out slow. There was not much energy, and Potsdam struck first a minute and 53 seconds into the game. Things were not looking good, and it seemed nobody had the energy to even forecheck. Even though the Bears had more shots in the first, it was not a reflection of how they played, and they escaped to the first intermission only down one.
The second period showed the toughness of the Bears. After the horrendous first period, Canton scored 4 goals to Potsdam’s single goal in the second. 4:40 into the second, Rhett Palmer showed his offensive prowess, and he put one in. 9 seconds later, Jonney McLear scored his first varsity goal on a pass from Drew Blevins. Two minutes later, Blevins scored when he drove to the net on a heads up pass from McLear, and the Bears flipped the game on its head. The Bears continued to have trouble breaking out however, and this led to a penalty on the Bears. Potsdam made quick work and scored. Canton answered with a late second period goal, when JJ Ahlfeld made a pass to Palmer who scored his second of the night.
At 4-2 going into the third, and the Bears would have to continue to play well to win. Canton made a mistake when too many players on the ice were called, and Potsdam converted again on the powerplay. Potsdam added another as Canton played lackadaisical defense, and the score was tied at 4. Shots in the third period were 8-5 in favor of the Bears, but Potsdam scored 3, and Canton only had 1. Canton’s only goal in the third came when Palmer gave a pass to the point, and a rebound off a shot by Scott Ahlfeld went to Reid Doyle’s stick and gave him his second of the year.
The Bears led by one with just under four minutes left in regulation. Things were looking good for the Bears who sustained zone pressure for the next two minutes, but with only 1:09 left in the third period, Potsdam scored to take it into overtime.
The Bears dominated the overtime period and didn’t give up a shot. On the other side of the ice, JJ Ahlfeld dished it off to Jacob Rosales who battled through contact and drew a penalty, but also got a shot off, and the rebound came to Drew Blevins, who made no mistake and ended the game right then and there. The Bears earn the two points in league play, and they advance to 4-1 overall. Canton will take the ice again in the New Year, January 7 vs Malone at home.
Plaindealer Sports 