Waterloo hosted Elmira at the Waterloo Recreation complex Sunday for the last match between the two teams for the season. This will be the third times the teams have played each other since the Christmas break. Waterloo had won the last 3 matches with Elmira.
Elmira opened the scoring in the first period on a power play goal two minutes into the game. Waterloo held the upper hand in the period when the teams were 5 on 5 and tied the game 1-1 on a “BAR DOWN” goal by SAM CHERRY at 14:08 of the period.
The second period started poorly for Waterloo. Elmira’s leading scorer, Hunter Debecki, was left all alone in front of the Waterloo net leading to a goal and an Elmira 2-1 lead. Then something went very peculiar. Waterloo took 6 consecutive penalties including calls that put Waterloo down 5 on 3 for two full minutes twice in the frame (See Photo #1 of Feb 3, 2019 Album). Valiant penalty killing kept Elmira to only one goal during the penalized time. The Elmira lead was cut to 3-2 when Siskins OWEN LANE finished up a beautiful slap pass from Captain ALEX CIMINO with 9 seconds left in the period.
The real story of the second period was about penalties that weren’t called against Elmira when two questionable hits lead to Waterloo Siskins injuries and resulted in no calls from the referees. Siskins defensemen MICHAEL KEATING (see youtube link https://youtu.be/pt-IyYej4pI) was subject to a knee on knee hit that required him to be helped off the ice. Michael will be out of the Siskins line-up indefinitely as a result of the hit. Siskins forward CURTIS RAWN (see youtube link https://youtu.be/ICXzCiY7Qto) was also injured when he took a hit from behind in the second period while defending a 5 on 3 Elmira power play. RAWN also required assistance to leave the ice surface but was able to return later in the game. Post game, The Siskins management refused to comment as to their intentions to send game film in to the OHA for review as a result of the questionable hits received to their players.
Elmira scored two more in the third period to put Waterloo on the short end of a 5-2 loss.
Saturday night, Waterloo was in Brantford to face off with the 99ers. Waterloo spotted Brantford with a 4-1 lead before scoring 5 unanswered goals on their way to a 6-4 win. CURTIS RAWN scored twice for Waterloo. Single markers went to MICHAEL KEATING, SHANE DONNAVON, SAM CHERRY and BRETT SCHAEFFER.
Waterloo’s next home games are this Saturday evening when they face the Brampton Bombers and Sunday afternoon, 1:30 at the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex when they host the Listowel Cyclones.