The Barrhead Steelers didn’t get a chance to hear Sweet Caroline echo through the Agrena, the Neil Diamond song the players have chosen to play after each win, but they should have.
And they would have if it hadn’t been for a hot Athabasca Hawks goaltender. On Sunday, Jan. 15, the Steelers played the Hawks to a 3-3 at home in Midget ‘A’ action.
In the first period, the Steelers dominated the play both territorially and on the shot clock, outshooting the Hawks 20-8, but they couldn’t solve Hawk’s goaltender Brady Bilsky, skating off to a scoreless tie.
In the second period Athabasca broke the tie just a minute-and-a-half into frame. They increased their lead scoring, with just over three minutes to go on a goal against the flow play. About 40 seconds before, it looked like the Steelers would take the lead, but Bilsky stopped the Steelers on close-in breakaway rush.
In the third period, Brayden DeRudder solved Bilsky scoring just short of two-minute mark.
However, the turning point of the game happened about three minutes later, when Tanner Whitting, on the penalty kill, stole an errant pass just outside Athabasca’s blueline and scored on the breakaway.
Athabasca restored its lead at the 13 minute mark of the period, but Dylan Callihoo tied the game with just a minute left in the game on a shot from the top of the circle.
Head coach Trevor Whiting said the Steelers played a strong game.
“This is what hockey is all about. Athabasca is a good team that is well coached and we had a lot of chances, but we just couldn’t capitalize early,” he said, adding the Hawks goaltender was a big reason for it. “Sometime you face a hot goaltender, and he was definitely on.”
Whiting added the Steelers wouldn’t have had the opportunity if it were not for their strong play on Friday when they defeated Tofield 5-0 at home.
“We handled them pretty readily, thanks to playing a strong team game, which continued into today,” he said.
Sunday’s tie brings the Steelers record to 12-4-4
The Steelers next home game will be on Friday at 8:15 against Athabasca.
