It was a different Tiger team that took to the ice this afternoon in Stouffville, they started fast and took the play to the Spirit for the whole game and came up with a 4-1 win to even their best of 7 final series at 1 game apiece. Unlike Friday night in Aurora when the Tigers looked listless after an 8 day layoff, today they played the type of hockey that has got them to the North final 7 years in a row.

The 1st period ended in a scoreless tie as both Aaron Barton and Trevor O'Neill made some outstanding saves to maintain their shutouts in the 1st period.

The Spirit got on the scoresheet with their only goal at 2.52 mins when Craig McDowell waltzed right out in front and found the 5 hole on Barton, assists went to Corey Fulton and Tyler Gubb. The Tigers finally after a ton of shots at O'Neill, got on the sheet as Paul Dupont found the mark on a scramble in front of the Spirit net, assists going to Mike McLaughlin and Mark Mayea. The Tabbies struck again at 14.34, this time it was hard working Jordan Watts scoring his 1st of 2 goals from Nick Novak. The 2nd ended with the Cats enjoying a 2-1 lead. Something of note, the Tigers did not get a penalty until the 14.48 mark of the 2nd.

In the 3rd the Tigers scored 2 unanswered goals, the 1st at 8.29, Matt Thomsom from David Morley and Cody Smith. Then it was Jordan Watts with his 2nd of the night an empty netter at 19.48. Pointstreak shows Watt's goal as unassisted but it was definitely David Morley who set it up. Morley was all over the ice, at only 5ft 7in, he played like he was 6ft 6in. The Tiger coaching staff gave Morley their player of the game award.

Just as I thought the Tigers would go the distance with only 1 penalty, the foof fell in and they picked up 4 minors in the last 5 mins of the 3rd. The playoff leading penalty crew went to work and between them and Barton, Aurora was able to keep the pressing Spirit off the score sheet in the dying minutes. There was a lot of chippy play between some of the lads but nothing serious broke out, don't know how long that will last maybe only to the next game in Aurora Tuesday night.

A little bit of a "bush league" act nearing the end of the 3rd when a Spirit goal was disallowed as the whistle beat the goal. A water bottle was thrown on to the ice by Stouffville's assistant coach Angelo Donia, referee Ben Buxton didn't see it, even though everbody else in the place did, so no penalty was called. Temper temper Angelo!!

Sometimes the refereeing can be a little suspect, tonight it was the linesmen who must have forgotten their glasses, some of the offside calls and non calls were brutal. Also both linesman called icings as if they did not know the icing rules, of well "cest la vie".

The Tigers will be tough in Aurora Tuesday night, I don't think you will see a repeat of their lack lustre performance in the 1st game, during the rest of the series.

Nice to be back and see a live game even though it was through "bleery eyes". Plane was 7 hours late, got in at 5.45 am this morning, so please excuse any spelling or grammatical errors in my report.

GO TIGERS GO

Aurora showed the Spirit today why they will win the NOrth!! The Spirit Coach is out of his league and demonstrated clearly why he is not ready to Coach at this level. Huntsville has a great Coach and it is too bad that the boys were little too late with discipline. What a joke of a game today, like watching a bunch of spoiled brats who had their candy taken away. Tuesday night, the lessons Aurora will teach will continue.

Aurora vs Oakville in the North west Finals.....2 intelligent Coaches....1 heck of a series to come.

Forgive me Otters but I'm a temporary Tigers fan .....just until next season.

Welcome aboard truenorth89!! Let me declare here though that Huntsville was by far the best team I have seen put together since Aurora last year and I fully expected them to continue in their winning ways. A little on the selfish play by some and too many penalties taken were probably keys to their downfall.

However, the Tigers played very similar to the Huntsville I refer to above when eliminating the Hurricanes. Yesterday against the Spirit in Stouffville, WOW, they are fully back and ready to repeat as Champions of the North!!

Kudos to the Spirit Coach for getting these kids this far but, this series will end in 5.

kudos to the spirit coach for getting them this far? i dont think so. kudos to the players who worked their asses off to get where they are.

I agree Craig, it's the players deserving all the credit

Coaches getting too much credit or too much blame for the success or lack of it, a team has.

I have said it before. Coaching is important and some are better than others. It is one of many factors in the success/failure of a team.

IMHO, it is the players who should get most of the credit/blame.

It is their show.



Wayjoy

It's not your typical situation in Stouffville and that is why the strong opinions to give the players the credit and not the coach.

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