Ontario Hockey Association

Current Section

OHA Picture of the Month

News

Centennial's News

Building Momentum

11/18/08

By Dennis Millward

Thursday Nov. 13th the Centennials hosted the Thamesford Trojans in Southern Ontario Jr. hockey action. The Trojans came to town boasting an 11-2-0 record and holding first place in the Bauer conference. The Bauer conference is also home to Tavistock, Wellesly and Ayr making this a four-point game. The Trojans showed early how they had attained 11 wins with an extremely fast skating team. Thamesford opened the scoring at 9:13 of the first with an unassisted short handed goal after a pass was intercepted and the Trojan's forward was in alone. While on the same penalty Ayr evened it up when Tom Collins carried the puck from his own line across the Trojan's line. Todd McEachern followed Tom across the line and was right there to snap in the drop pass before the goalie new it was coming. Ayr was doing a great job of getting sticks in the passing lanes and as a result there was a ton of missed stretch passes that went for icings. Ayr's penalty killers came up big having to kill fifty seconds of a five on three eight minutes into the second. The Centennials P.K. is ranked fifth in the league and it's like they say " your best penalty killer is your goalie " Kyle Debus can go an extra game without sharpening his skates as he spent most of this one standing on his head going from post to post midway through the second to deny a sure Trojan's goal. Instead it was Ayr that took the lead when at 10:41 of the second Tyler Gauthier won a battle for the puck in the Trojan's corner and flipped it high towards the net. Corey Vrankin went into the air to grab the pass, dropped it at his feet at the lip of the crease and tapped it in. The Centennials impressed a lot of people at the beginning of the season with their speed and this goal seemed to open the Cent's throttle another notch. With 8:45 left in the second Matt VanLauwe intercepted a clearing attempt and blasted a low shot from the top of the circles. The save was made but Joey Abare was on the doorstep to drive home the rebound. Now it was the Centennials that were the extremely fast skating team. With 7:55 left in the second Jarrod Hipwell (Happy birthday Hippy) blew by the Trojan's D to get in alone. His shot was stopped but he picked up his own rebound in the corner and fired it at the net where Todd was waiting with his back to the keeper to deflect the pass through his own legs and the five hole. With every shift the Centennials seemed to be gaining momentum. With 6:24 remaining in the second Corey Vrankin snapped one upstairs that was in and out so fast the refs didn't see it. But with 5:07 left after more intense pressure from the Todd McEachern, Jarrod Hipwell, Tom Collins line there could be no denying. Todd from the corner back to Jarrod at the top of the circles, shot on net with Tom Collins at the lip of the crease to snap in the rebound. With 2:50 left in the second for the benefit of those who missed it the first time was a replay of the previous goal with Tom parked in the same spot to finish it off and again assisted by Todd and Jarrod. With 13 seconds left in the second Tom McSorly scrapped a Trojan that hit Justin Hohn into the end boards

Thamesford scored the only goal of the third but at 13:29 Corey Vrankin managed to get a Trojan's helmet off and land a right hand. And with four minutes left in the game Matt VanLauwe finally came across an opponent with his helmet nailed on. The Centennials played the way they did at the beginning of the season. Using their speed to create a stifling fore check, relentless back checking and the big saves when they needed them.

On Saturday November 15 the Ayr Centennials travelled to Mt. Brydges to play the Bulldogs. Due to the bad winter driving conditions, a number of the Cents parents and fans tried, but could not make the trip. Fortunately, the bus made it and the Centennials worked extremely hard in what was to be a very exciting game.

With Mt. Brydges wanting to keep their perfect winning record at home intact, they quickly pressured the Cents. Ayr responded with the same level of intensity but the Bulldogs were rewarded with a goal 3:42 into the game. End to end action ensued with many chances around both nets, but the period ended with Cents down one. The second period saw the same energetic hockey action. An Ayr turnover at the Mt. Brydges blue line resulted in a clear-cut Bulldogs goal scoring breakaway making the score 2-0 after two. In the third period the Cents came out flying. After 23 seconds of relentless pressure in the Bulldogs end, Kyle Longpre blasted a shot from the point, which Corey Vrankin deflected perfectly through the goalie’s legs. Mt. Brydges replied right back 22 seconds later to regain their two goal lead. The Cents kept battling hard and a terrific Kyle Longpre blue line to blue line pass found a streaking Jarrod Hipwell behind the Bulldogs defence. Jarrod made no mistake deking the goalie bringing Ayr within one. Ayr gained momentum from this goal and constantly attacked the Bulldogs. With three minutes to play, the Cents again caught the Mt. Brydges defence napping. Justin Hohn reacted sending a breakaway pass to Corey who, despite being viciously slashed, deked and went backhand to tie the game. With time winding down, a penalty call on the Bulldogs gave Ayr a power play. Shortly after, the Cents were penalized. The third period ended tied at three. This meant in overtime the Bulldogs had a 4 on 3 advantage. They scored on a hard slapshot from just inside the blue line. Final Mt. Brydges 4 Ayr 3.

It was a great game showing that the Centennials can play with the best teams in the league. Next game Thursday November 20 at 8 pm against the Exeter Hawks. So if your wife has the remote and your choice is cooking nightmares or Trading Places (AKA -why can't you make that in a week-end?) come on down and check out some great live Jr. hockey action.

Tag(s): Ayr Centennials

Will The Slide Ever End

11/10/08

By Dennis Millward

Thursday Nov. 6th the Centennials hosted the Delhi Travellers. Delhi came to town with a 10 - 1 record but the Cent's faithful were optimistic knowing over the past couple of seasons the Centennials have played some of their best hockey against the Travellers. As expected Delhi came out flying and opened the scoring 4:34 into the first with a power play marker. Ayr tied it with 4:53 remaining in the opening frame with a power play marker of their own when Kyle Longpre carried the puck down the left side and across the Delhi line. Kody Pickett was first into the corner to pick up the dump in (a perfect example of dump and chase) and fed the puck out front where Corey Vrankin was waiting to tally his ninth goal of the season. Ayr took the lead with 2:02 remaining after some great puck control on the P.P. Andrew Tapsell got the puck back to Robbie Brooks at the point. Brooksie fired a low shot and Tyler Gauthier was there to redirect it in. Welcome back Tyler.

Twenty seconds into the second the Delhi bench was up celebrating what they thought was their second goal prematurely as Kyle Debus robbed the Travellers sniper to hold the lead. End to end action is something you hear about in pretty well every hockey write up so why should this one be any different. The transition games of both teams were in high gear and the Cent's seamed to be playing with more confidence. A couple of nice three way passing plays that just missed. Back checking, shot blocking and taking a hit to make a play all made this an exciting game for the large crowd in attendance to watch. After trading chances through the second Delhi scored a short handed goal on what could be a home team play. The winger shoots the puck into the corner, the center goes to the net, the goalies goes behind the net to play the puck, the Zamboni door passes the puck out front to the center with the empty net. So the Cents left for the second intermission tied at two with the first place team in the league. 5:39 into the third Delhi scored the first even strength goal of the game but a minute and eleven later Ayr tied it again. Hard work along the end boards resulted in puck battles being won and paying the price in front earned Andrew Tapsell his seventh goal of the season. Tyler Gauthier and Corey Vrankin got the assists. With 12:41 remaining Matt VanLauwe proved he could land multiple right hands even while on his back. Delhi took the lead with 8:39 remaining and with 2:30 left after the non-call of a brutal slash sent Delhi in alone it was 5-3. For the last two minutes it looked a bit lick auditions for the U.F.C. With 18 seconds left it appeared the Delhi player was lucky the officials got in early as Justin Hohn stoked. 10 seconds Robbie Martin earns a draw. 8 seconds Shawn Murray a unanimous decision. If Ayr can continue to play with this renewed passion it won't be long before the W's start showing up beside Centennials in the standings. The Cent's next home game will be this Thursday Nov. 13 at 8:00 when they take on the Thamesford Trojans. So make Thursday get off the couch night and check out some great LIVE Jr. hockey action.

Tag(s): Ayr Centennials

Another Tough One

10/30/08

By Dennis Millward

On Wednesday Oct 27 the Ayr Centennials travelled to Lucan to play the Fighting Irish. With Halloween only two days away other forces seemed to be against the Cents. Somehow, a right turn became a left turn and the bus was one hour late. With only 15 minutes to game time Ayr just had time to dress and get on the ice for the opening face-off. Lucan took advantage and scored two goals in the first two minutes. The Cents found their legs and at 7:15 got a rebound goal from Rob Martin assisted by Tom McSorley. The Irish replied with a goal at 15:37 taking a two-goal lead after the first. Early in the second Lucan again got on the board, but at 5:03 Ayr newcomer Andy Underwood found the net on a nice play from Kyle Longpre and Matt VanLauwe. The Irish regained their three-goal lead late in the period. At 6:16 of the third Lucan tallied their second power play goal of the game. Then Ayr’s Robbie Brooks fed a great forward pass to Andrew Tapsell who stepped over the blue line and released one of his patented wristers top shelf under the bar at 14:49. The Irish finished the scoring at the 16:40 mark. Final score Lucan 7 Ayr 3. Whether it was the snow, the dark night, the long bus ride, or the Lucan spirit’s it was a strange night. Hopefully the “Ayr” forces will be with us at home when we play Delhi Thursday, Nov. 6 at 8:00 pm. Please join us. Thanks to Jack for doing the artical this week.

Tag(s): Ayr Centennials

The Slumping Cents

10/29/08

By Dennis Millward

Thursday Oct. 23 the Centennials hosted the Tavistock Braves. The Braves were one point ahead of the Cents in their conference so it was a four-point game. Ayr opened the scoring at 12:14 of the first. After Matt VanLauwe just missed with a high shot the rebound was gathered off the end boards by Matt Gilick. Gilick got the puck to Tom Collins who in turn fed it to Matt V in front and who this time found the back of the net. Ayr's penalty killers were called upon to kill off a 1:35 5 on 3 Tavi advantage to end the period and shut down the Braves P.P. 8:12 into the second Ayr got a 5 on 3 advantage when the Braves netminder received 4:00 for applying the separator. This 5 on 3 lasted all of 15 seconds as Ayr was penalized. As often happens in this game, after a close call at one end, the puck ends up in the net at the other. At 8:23 of the second Tavi rang one off the post and Kody Pickett picked up the rebound just inside his blue line. Kody bust down the right side with another Ayr forward going hard to the net and let it go from the face off dot to take a two goal lead .The lone assist went to Matt VanLauwe. Ayr's penalty killers were called upon again to kill the dreaded 5 on 3 and did a great job. 1:39 later another Tavi 5 on 3. The penalty killers were being over worked and with 4:12 remaining Tavi finally beat them 5 on 3. Twelve seconds later while still on the P.P. Tavi evened it up. A five on three advantage isn't a really common occurrence given the second penalty is generally a blatant offence but not so last Thursday in Ayr. After thirty years of attending hockey games and hearing the same derogatory comments hurled at the officials a new one came to the surface last Thursday. IF YOU HAD ONE MORE EYE YOU'D BE A CYCLOPS. Tavi received 18 minutes on 10 penalties Ayr got 34 minutes on 18 penalties.

Anyway Tavi scored 6:56 into the third with an even strength goal. Kyle Debus kept his team in the game with a scintillating glove save with eight minutes remaining. Although Ayr continued to apply pressure they came up on the wrong side of a 3-2 final. Again it was an entertaining game and the loss definitely wasn't a result of being out worked.

Saturday Oct. 25 the Centennials boarded the bus for a trip to Park Hill to play the Middlesex Stars. Arriving at the end of the first the news was good as Ayr lead 1-0 on an unassisted goal from Shawn Murray. Play was scambley through the beginning of the second but at 6:36 the Stars got one to tie it up. With 4:27 remaining in the second Middlesex took the lead while short handed after the Stars fore checker picked off a D2D pass between the circles in Ayr's end and walked in alone. The Stars made it a two goal lead 3:47 into the third when a pass from the hash marks found a Star alone in the deep slot. The lead was stretched to three when a two on two somehow turned into a two on 0. With 12:32 remaining in the third, master helmet remover Matt VanLauwe tried to give his team a spark with a scrap. Matt and the Star both landed several right hands but the Star never did get Matt's lid off and his punches bounced off a helmet designed to stop a slap shot. Ayr drew to within 2 when Kyle Longpre picked up the puck at his own line and broke down the left side. At center he crossed over to the right side and fired a pass from the bottom of the circle into the crease just as Todd McEachern arrived to redirect it in. With 5:43 remaining the Stars regained the three-goal lead and stretched it to 4 with a P.P. marker at 14:48. Frustration and a lot of trash talking led to a heavy weight battle as the Centennials Robbie Martin landed some nice right hands before taking it to the ice. North Middlesex put the final nail in the coffin with 1:54 left in the game to make the final 7-2. A few nice passes and a couple of hard hits. This definitely wasn't the way the Cents are capable of playing. But it is early in the season and a slump now is better than one down the stretch. This Centennials team has to much talent to stay down for long.

The Cents next game is Wednesday Oct. 29 in Lucan. Their next home game will be Nov. 6th when they host the Delhi Travellers. The Centennials now stand in Eighth place out of fourteen teams and are a long way from what they have shown us what they are capable of. So come on down and check out some great Jr. hockey action Nov. 6th. You can check game results and see the Cent's schedule on line, just google S.O.J.H.L. click on teams and you're there.

Tag(s): Ayr Centennials

Disappointment

10/21/08

By Dennis Millward

Thursday Oct. 15th the Centennials hosted the Mt. Brydges Bulldogs. The Dogs were rewarded for some early pressure with a goal just 42 seconds into the game when a wrap around attempt went in off a skate in front. Ayr evened it up with 9:42 left in the first with a short-handed goal. The aggressive style that the Cents use on the P.K. paid off again as brothers Shawn and David Murray teamed up force a turnover in the Bulldogs end. David then fed the puck from the end boards to Shawn in the deep slot. Shawn snapped it through the five hole and first period scoring was complete. Mt. Bridges took the lead 5:12 into the second, capitalizing on the power play with a shot through a crowd the Ayr keeper Kyle Debus had no chance on. The see saw battle continued and the Cents tied it again with 5:08 remaining in the second. Ayr's Joey Abare picked up a loose puck off the draw in the center ice circle and bolted for the Bulldogs line. When both D converged on Joey he threaded the needle through the D to Andrew Tapsell who was breaking for the net. Andrew was in alone and though stopped initially tapped in the rebound. Ayr took the lead 17 seconds later again as a direct result of the speed the team has and uses on the fore check. Robbie Brooks was able to keep a clearing attempt in at the line and blasted a shot through a crowd in front. Ayr goes into the final frame up 3-2 and kept it that way until 6:03 when the Bulldogs tied it. Mt. Brydges took the lead again two minutes later with a power play marker when a point shot was deflected in front and went in off the post. Ayr tied it AGAIN with a play that is used not near enough. Robbie Brooks got the puck to Kyle Longpre on the left side. Kyle threw the puck into the southeast corner and the Bulldogs net minder went out to play it. Not realizing the Zamboni door sometimes directs the puck to the front of the net as it did on this occasion Rewarded for going to the net with a tap in was Corey Vrankin. The end-to-end action continued and with 7:39 remaining in the third Mt. B regained the lead after Ayr was unable to clear the zone. With 4:10 remaining a perfect stretch pass sent a Bulldog in alone to take a two-goal lead. This years Centennial team has not been one to give up and with 2:07 remaining Jeff Chambers fired a tape-to-tape pass from in front off the Cent's bench to Andrew Tapsell just as he was crossing the blue line on the far side. Andrew let go a bullet that hit the top left corner like it had eyes. Ayr continued to press for the equalizer but came up short but it sure wasn't for lack of trying. Despite the out come this was an extremely entertaining game. It was good to see the stands starting to fill and some old school Centennial supporters back in the crowd.

It's been said that the Centennial write-ups last season over accentuated the positive and ignored the negative altogether. This season the positives have been much more prevalent but to ignore the negative would discredit the integrity of all the articles. So here goes. Sunday the Centennials and a large cheering section traveled to Lambeth to face the Lancers. The Lancers are at the bottom of their conference and third from the bottom over all. It appeared from the stands the Cent's took note of this and showed up in Lambeth to collect their two points. The trouble with that is when one team shows up to play and the other doesn’t, well you know. The one bright spot for the Centennials was the play of goal tender David ( Denny ) Densmore . Despite being out shot 12-7 in the first the teams went to the room 0-0 . Eight minutes into the second David was forced to make two huge saves and midway through the period was called upon to stop a penalty shot . Penalty shot taken , still scoreless . With 7:12 remaining in the second Todd McEachern was nailed by a vicious elbow at center ice. The owner of the elbow was given a 5-minute major for head checking and a game misconduct . A minute into the five minute Ayr advantage a Lancer boarding call resulted in a full two minute 5 on 3 . Lambeth killed off the five on three and the remainder of the major and opened the scoring with 1:43 left in the second . Lambeth took a two goal lead at 7:38 of the third after Densmore made the first save but was beaten by the rebound . Ayr finally seemed to play with a little bit of desperation but to little to late . Ayr drew to within one with 1:46 remaining when Corey Vrankin went into the blue ice to tap one in . The assists went to David Murray and Matt Gilick . Ayr ended up out shooting Lambeth 14-6 in the third but it was without a doubt the most lack luster performance of the season . So for the first time this season the Cents have dropped two in a row . You can bet the coaching staff will have them ready or maybe this years team is one that will take it upon themselves to be ready to take on the Tavistock Braves when the come to town Thursday Oct 23 . Once you have seen how well this years Centennial team can play it's a safe bet we're in for a lot more exciting hockey . The Cents will be looking to atone for Sundays performance so come on out and check out some great Jr. hockey action.

Tag(s): Ayr Centennials