The Wellesley Applejacks are heading to Game 6 in the first round of playoffs after posting two victories and a loss against the Woodstock Navy Vets over the weekend.
The Jacks led the series 3-1 heading into Sunday afternoon’s game and could have taken the series then, but fell 5-4 in overtime.
On Friday in Wellesley, the Jacks took a 3-0 win with goalie Ryan Hergott making 29 saves. Shaun Pickering struck first on the power play in the first, helped by Nick Mercier and Jordan Hoekstra.
In the second, Mario Alyas added one of his own, assisted by Mercier and Nathan Schlupp. Uttley scored the third and final goal on the power play, unassisted. There was no scoring in the third.
Both teams spent plenty of time shorthanded as Wellesley was handed 57 minutes in penalties, while Woodstock tallied 49.
“That was actually a very good game,” said head coach, Brad Gerber.
“I think anytime you get a shutout in this league you’re doing all the things right. We’re quite pleased with that win and a good solid win in Game 3 there.”
The teams faced off in Woodstock the following night, where the Jacks came out victorious once again with a 3-1 win.
Neither goalie let anything past him in the first. The Jacks got on the board with a power play marker from Kyle Soper (Mercier) in the second.
The Jacks pulled ahead in the third with a goal from Brady Gerber (Brenden Goran, Sean McEwan). Woodstock earned their lone goal late in the game when they pulled their goalie to add an extra attacker and Dylan Wettlaufer (Kurtis Christo, Chris Jensen) put the puck past Hergott.
Uttley sunk the puck on an empty net to finish the game with the win.
Both teams spent considerably less time in the box. Wellesley spent 14 minutes shorthanded, to Woodstock’s 24. Hergott made 33 saves.
“We went down there and it was pretty much the same as the night before. Playing very well at both ends of the ice and just shutting them down. We also had good goaltending from Ryan Hergott when we needed it. It takes a big team effort and everyone buying into the program,” Gerber said.
Facing elimination, the Navy Vets put everything they had into Sunday’s game to pull out the overtime win.
Woodstock took an early lead with two goals in the first four minutes. Austin Richardson (Justin Elms, Chris Nauts) and Dan Haig (Wettlaufer) scored.
“They needed to come out and play, they had nothing to lose, their backs were against the wall. At the same time though, it was our chance to put that team away. We were a little disappointed that we couldn’t. We came out a little flat, which kind of surprised all of us on the coaching staff,” Gerber said.
Cal Jefferies let fans breathe a sigh of relief with his shorthanded, unassisted goal to finish the period with Wellesley down 2-1.
Both teams earned one goal apiece in the second, with goals from Woodstock’s Jensen (Andrew Bruder, Christo) and Wellesley’s Jordan Hoekstra (Uttley, Greg Huber).
Wellesley tied it up finally on a marker from Spencer Brick (Uttley) in the third. But a power play proved fruitful for Woodstock’s Elms, assisted by Chris Thompson and Wettlaufer.
With just over five minutes to go, Brady Gerber slipped the puck in the Navy Vets’ net to tie the game 4-4. Huber and Uttley assisted.
In overtime, with the first team to score winning, Wellesley found themselves with the loss as Wettlaufer (Austin Sine, Bruder) scored to keep the Navy Vets alive and heading to Game 6.
“I thought as the game went on we got better and we battled all day. I give the guys some credit. There was a lot going on [on Sunday] and they played through lots of adversity and they kept plugging away to get to overtime,” Gerber said.
Gerber notes Hergott was steady in net for the team in all three games. He also commends captain Cal Jefferies for continuing to step up his game.
“He’s a real leader on and off the ice. He doesn’t take a shift off, he just works so hard and his intensity and his will to win is just, you can’t coach that. You have that or you don’t. We’re more than pleased with how Cal’s bringing his game right now,” Gerber said.
Now it’s time for the Jacks to refocus and be ready to finish this series on the right side. Gerber says they’ll have to execute with and without the puck and play a patient game.
The Jacks will look to wrap up the best-of-seven series Friday when they head to Woodstock for a 7:45 p.m. game. If Woodstock wins, they’re back in Wellesley on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Elsewhere in their division, Ayr has wrapped up their series defeating Burford in four games. Norwich sent New Hamburg packing in five games. And Paris and Tavistock are tied 3-3 heading to Game 7.
“It’s a feeling like no other when you lose in overtime like that, when you can put a team away, especially on your home ice. I think it’s a feeling they don’t want to feel again, so I think that’s motivation enough right there.”
