Tuesday January 9

Ducks soar past Penguins in overtime nail biter

(6)Ducks vs Penguins(5)

The Ducks, trailing throughout most of the game, kept battling back that culminated in S.Panetta’s game winning blistering slap shot. The Penguins always played ahead forcing the Ducks to work that much harder. At one point, the Penguins pulled ahead by two goals thanks to their top sniper F.Bchara notching a pair. Despite falling behind 4-2, the Ducks kept showing unwavering determination and eventually levelled on a quick release by T.Nardelli. The game was now deadlocked 4-4 heading into its latter stages of the match. After taking a pair of untimely penalties, the Ducks hoped for some damage control knowing that they were still in striking distance if they were to give up one of two penalty shots. The first attempt saw E.Toussaint patiently wait out B.Verducci to provide a 5-4 lead for the Penguins. Then, with a chance to put the game to rest, the Penguins missed out on a golden chance that saw B.Verducci wait out F.Bchara. All it took-from that point on was a good shot on net to help level the game for the Ducks. And after pulling out the net minder for the extra attacker, the Ducks had the extra space in order to generate some scoring chances. That’s when L.Bucci seized the opportunity to tie the contest with only 30 seconds remaining. With the game now hanging in the balance in the overtime period, S.Panetta took the opportunity to release a wicked slap shot that gave B.Mourad no chance whatsoever. Finally, the Ducks found themselves ahead, and it couldn’t have come at a better time as they secured a hard fought win over the Penguins.

The Allo Mon Coco Ste Dorothee player of the game goes to Steve Panetta of the Ducks. The strong forward had an impact throughout the entire match making plenty happen. Already with a goal and an assist, S.Panetta scored a huge one when it counted the most deciding a very close encounter.

Sharks continue to strive in double up win over the Canucks

(3)Canucks vs Sharks(6)

In a display of sheer dominance, the Sharks asserted their control over the Canucks in a convincing 6-3 victory. Right-from the opening draw, the Sharks set the tone for the game, applying solid pressure on the Canucks defense. F.Houle capitalised on two occasions out of the first four goals while D.Greco cashed in twice eventually with his second coming off a penalty shot. The Canucks were stuck playing a formidable opponent that didn’t give much on this night. It didn’t help that they had to go up against D.Apikian, who will likely deny you unless you overwhelm him with an abundance of shots. It was just one of those games that saw one side start strong and protect their lead by applying themselves defensively. S.Kalaydjian had a solid outing collecting three points in the win. The result secured a third straight win in as many games for the Sharks. Since they now carry a perfect 3-0 record, teams will look to take them seriously in their attempt to bring them down to earth.

The Allo Mon Coco Ste Dorothee player of the game goes to Danny Apikian of the Sharks. His ability to track the ball, make crucial saves, and control rebounds instilled confidence in the Sharks defensive unit, and allowed them to maintain their lead.