Defenseman John Starling clears the puck that was behind Wrasse. St. Louis scored a late 3rd period goal to hand the IceHawks a 4-3 loss. (MyBayCity Photo by John Keuvelaar)

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Late Goal on Saturday Downs IceHawks 4-3

Locals Squander 2-0 Lead and Suffer Heartbreaking Loss

January 30, 2011
By: John Keuvelaar

The New Attitude IceHawks took the ice Saturday night with a clear goal of climbing back into the playoff picture. For most of the night, they gave the visitors from St. Louis more than they could handle as they built a 2-0 lead in the second period. But old mistakes let St. Louis back into the game. While the IceHawks were able to tie the game in the third period, a late goal proved too much to overcome as they dropped a 4-3 decision.

The IceHawks started the first period like a riled up hornet's nest. Buzzing around the rink hitting every puck carrier in sight, the IceHawks kept St. Louis from getting any sustained offensive pressure. Having just killed off a 5 on 3 powerplay, the IceHawks went on the attack assaulting the netminder with shots. Following an initial shot, Zach Bauer picked up a rebound and fired it past a sprawling goalie for a 1-0 advantage.

Tri City carried the lead into the second period when fortune smiled their way. While killing off another St. Louis powerplay, Justin Lacy wrestled the puck away from the St. Louis goaltender who was playing the puck and guided it into the net for a 2-0 advantage.

While optimism grew, momentum soon would switch to St. Louis as Tri City mistakes cost them the lead. Trouble started just past the half way point of the period as St. Louis forward, James Wilderman came in the side beating goalie Elliot Wrasse on a shot that just seemed to find a hole. Thirty six seconds later, Wrasse found himself out of the net trying to play the puck. Wilderman saw the opportunity and passed the puck out front where Richard Westcott hit the open net tying the game at 2 apiece.

The IceHawks lost their steam after the two goals which St. Louis took advantage of out shooting the IceHawks for the period 23 to 11. Then with two minutes to play, St. Louis found Wrasse out too far from the net and scored giving them a 3-2 lead after two periods.

Tri City came out of the locker room with their first period fire. Lacy then tied the score when he picked up the puck on the boards near the blue line, worked his way in front of the net and beat goalie Tyler Parks making it 3-3.

Both teams turned their game up a notch making for a very exciting up and down fast paced game. Just short of the half way point, Derek Vogler of St. Louis scored on a rebound after Wrasse had made several strong saves. Tri City showed even more determination as they turned up the heat on Parks who got stronger as the period went on.

With less than five minutes to play, Tri City went on the powerplay but St. Louis didn't let the IceHawks get into the zone and get settled. Wrasse came up huge in the final minutes as he stoned a St. Louis breakaway to keep his team within one goal. While outshooting St. Louis in the final period, 20 to 13, Tri City was unable to get the equalizer falling 4-3.

While the IceHawks played playoff caliber hockey the last too nights, they are running out of games to get back into the race. Come join the IceHawks Saturday night and help them reach the playoffs.