GRAVENHURST — Only two points separate the league-leading Bradford Rattlers and the South Muskoka Shield from first place in the Greater Metro Jr. A Hockey League following weekend play.
The 28-3-0-2 Bradford Rattlers secured a 7-3 win over the Toronto Canada Moose Sunday night to tally 58 points, as the 27-2-0-2 Shield took a win over the Brock Bucks Friday night and added a default win over the now-defunct Minden Riverkings to tally 56 points with two games in hand on Bradford.
In the Shield’s second and final regular season game against the Brock Bucks, South Muskoka players rallied for a third-period win.
It was South Muskoka’s worst start all season, said coach Dallyn Telford. The Shield went into Friday night’s match at Gravenhurst Centennial Centre 2-1 against the Bucks this year.
Weighing on the minds of local players was the noticeable absence of Shield goalie Rob Sutherland who returned home to Connecticut for his sister’s funeral.
Sudbury native Mark Wardell, who has lost only two of 17 games this season, played in net instead.
With Brock’s heavy European roster, the Bucks took a 3-0 lead early in the first period and capitalized on South Muskoka’s only two penalties.
“Wardell looked shaky in the opening period, but settled down after that,” Telford said. He allowed two power-play goals, and one at even strength, but kept the Bucks at bay for the rest of the game despite facing 30 shots on net.
Telford said the team looked “drained and lifeless” for most of the first period.
“It was a tough week for us,” he said. “I think the Sutherland thing got to them before the game. They were thinking about him. I was thinking about him too, and we kind of forgot we had a game. But as the game went on we got better,” he said.
With just over two minutes remaining in the opening frame, captain Chad Meagher put up the Shield’s first point on Bucks goalie Steve Brown of Port Carling, assisted by Rob Childs.
Meagher reduced the gap with an unassisted goal, his second of the night, to get the score to 3-2 heading into the third.
“In the second intermission, we talked about the last time we played Brock and dropped a 7-6 decision,” said Telford. “We talked about the fact that we needed to play the third period for Sutherland.”
With a lot more energy and Sutherland’s jersey hanging beside the bench, the Shield erupted for four third-period goals to seal a 6-3 win.
Goals were scored by Dylan Sontag and Tim Wender (2), and MacBeth added an empty-netter to tally three points in the game, including two assists.
“We dominated the final period from start to finish and looked hungry for the win,” Telford said. “It was the last meeting between us and Brock unless we meet in the playoffs. They are a very fast team and work hard.”
He said the Bucks will be a tough opponent for whoever plays them in the opening round of the playoffs, which begin late February.
As playoffs approach, Telford said the Shield will play its next few games without the help of Swede Dan Soderberg-Andersson, who is suffering from a reoccurring groin injury and sat out Friday night’s game.
“He hasn’t been pain-free since we got him,” said Telford. “Rather than push it now, he and his therapist and our coaching staff and management thought we should shut it down now for a few weeks. The hope is he will come back stronger for the playoffs.”
The final leg of the regular season schedule is a tough one for South Muskoka who face the Innisfil Lakers at home Friday night at 7:30 p.m.
“(Innisfil) is a very fast team with good goaltending and several offensive weapons,” Telford said. “It’s our last meeting of the regular season and we have a 3-0 record against them, with all three wins decided by two goals.”
The Shield kicks off a three-game weekend at home against the Algoma Avalanche, followed by road games versus the Toronto Canada Moose and league-leading Bradford Rattlers. A second match against Bradford is scheduled as well as a bout against the Elliot Lake Bobcats.