The Waterloo Siskins held a significant edge in play and in shots, however, in the end the Listowel Cyclones held on in the third against waves of Waterloo attacks prevailing with a 3-2 win. Waterloo outshot Listowel 30-19 in the game and 10-3 in the third period, however, more pucks hit the cross bar than went in the net in an entertaining game watched by 1632 fans at the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex.
“Close only counts in horseshoes” said CURTIS CLAIRMONT, Waterloo Siskins President and Director of Hockey Operations. “That’s what my Dad used to say” continued CLAIRMONT when he was asked about how the game went for Waterloo. “I thought our boys played hard and outplayed Listowel in the game. The puck just didn’t seem to want to go in for us today”, he continued.
Waterloo opened the scoring at 16:32 of the first frame when WINSTON CESTNICK drove the Cyclones defenseman to the outside protecting the puck and cutting back to the net scoring just over the left pad of the surprised Listowel goaltender (See Photo #1 of Mar 31, 2019 Album).
Waterloo gave up a shorthanded goal at 5:09 of the second period when Holdyn Lansink converted a cross ice pass from Chayse Herrfort capitalizing on a Siskins miscue at the Listowel blue line. Listowel took a 2-1 lead with just under 2 minutes left in the second period when what looked like a harmless shot by Lansink somehow found its way to the back of the Waterloo net through a maze of Waterloo sticks.
Another Waterloo miscue at the Listowel blue line led to a 3-1 Cyclones lead just 2:17 into the third period. Cylcones’ Brayden Krieger intercepted an errant pass and skated the length of the ice; somehow getting a shot off with Siskins’ ALEX CIMINO draped all over him. The rest of the period was all Waterloo. There were several close calls through the period but the puck just didn’t want to go in to the net. The Siskins had two sure goals go directly off the cross bar late in the period (See Photo #2 of Mar 31, 2019 Album). Siskins’ ALEX LYCETT scored at the 17:45 mark with the goaltender pulled (See Photo #3 of Mar 31, 2019 Album). Alex had two other great scoring chances before the game ended, however, Waterloo couldn’t get to the loose pucks waiting to be grabbed.
Game #3 in the best of seven series is Tuesday night in Listowel with Game #4 back in Waterloo at the Recreation Complex with a 7:30 start time.
