BETHEL 5 – MISSIONARY 1
Bethel opened the scoring midway through the first period. Mike Seiling and Matt Smith moved the puck deep to create a scramble in front of the net. Derek Frey snapped in a shot from the crease.
Missionary tied it up in the second. Steve Slot and Brandon Murray sent Tom Chambers on a breakaway. Chambers deked the goaltender and sent the puck into the top corner.
Bethel regained the lead when netminder Derek Wideman cleared the puck to Jim Wideman. He passed to MacKenzie Bauman who crossed the blue line and blasted a slap shot through the pads for the goal.
Midway through the third. Bethel’s Derek Frey intercepted a pass and set up MacKenzie Bauman who blasted one in from the blue line.
Bethel added another goal. Sam Altwegg teed up Steve Wideman at the point. Wideman blasted a shot and Brandon Shoemaker tipped it in.
A minute later Bauman set up Kyle Martin in front of the net. A quick wrist shot finished the solid win for Bethel.
DRAYTON 6 – FLORADALE 1
Both teams skated hard right from the opening face-off. Then within a span of 18 seconds early in the first period both teams exchanged goals.
Floradale struck first with Tim Freeman and Javon Martin working a shot in on net. Gary Martin knifed in the rebound.
Drayton responded with Mike DeWeerd and Eric Dekkers setting up Pat Landman who split through the defence and sent a wrist shot over the shoulder of the goaltender.
Drayton took the lead when Dekkers set up Dave Mulder at the left face-off circle. Mulder threaded a shot along the inside of the post for the goal.
Drayton added an insurance goal midway through the second. as Brandon Rumph and Eric Dekkers set up Landman. A quick shot along the ice beat netminder Jason Newton.
Drayton further strengthen its lead when Dave Mulder got the puck to Mike DeWeerd who took the puck behind the net and fed Scott VanOostveen for a quick shot into the open corner.
By the mid point of the third, Drayton had added another pair of goals. Brent Dekoning sent a high shot over the shoulder of Floradale goaltender Jason Newton, and Pat Landman blasted a slap shot under the pads for his hat trick. Eric Dekkers and Mark Timmerman played the set up men for both goals.
The win tied the best-of-five A Division Nichols Finals at one game apiece.
Submitted by Willard Metzger
