Dramatic comeback, shootout victory for Under-11 Wolves

It was a packed house at the Centennial Arena in Virgil Tuesday for the Niagara District Hockey League Under-11 championship. There was standing room only, but no one was in their seats by the time the Niagara-on-the-Lake Wolves captured the trophy with a 3-2 shootout victory over the Thorold Black Hawks. 

The goaltenders’ battle lasted nearly two hours, going into overtime following a 2-2 tie after regulation. Both goalies continued to stymie hopeful scorers through three extra periods, forcing the decision to be made via a shootout. And of the three shooters from each team who attempted to ice the victory, only NOTL’s Luke Simpson was able to score, with Wolves goalie Mason Nichols coming up with the final save for the win.

And to top it off, Nichols even had to stop a Thorold penalty shot in the first overtime period. 

“What a wild ride,” said head coach Joe Pagnotta. “You name it, that game had everything you expect in a great hockey game, other than a fight, of course. They experienced something that a lot of adults never experience as far as a sporting event is concerned.”

The first period saw end-to-end action, with the Wolves getting the best chances to score on a couple of scrums in front of the Thorold net. At one point the puck was sitting behind Black Hawks goaltender Kole Maritone and just out of reach of NOTL’s Ben Bayne’s stick when a Thorold defender reached out and batted it out of the crease. 

Nichols came up with some huge saves in the second period, including a few that left Pagnotta, the rest of the coaching staff and most of the fans in the stands with mouths agape. But the Hawks finally scored the game’s first goal with just over three minutes remaining.  

When the buzzer sounded to end the second with the Wolves down 1-0, Pagnotta had a scrum with his team to keep their spirits up.

“I told them on the bench that if they won the third period they would most likely win the game,” Pagnotta said. “The kids were playing well. I thought we had the upper hand in the game, even though we came out a little flat at the start.”

But 56 seconds into that period the Black Hawks scored on a breakaway to make it 2-0.

“At that time I thought I might have to eat my words,” Pagnotta told The Local. “But it was a back-and-forth, evenly matched game all night. The kids never gave up.”

Just three minutes after the second Thorold goal, Charlie Rowaan took the puck into the Thorold zone and unleashed a slap shot to the upper left corner past a stunned Maritone to close the gap to a single goal. 

Shortly after that, the Wolves killed a penalty without giving up a major scoring chance to the Hawks. Then Thorold took a hooking penalty with four minutes left on the clock. Just as the power play was coming to an end Eli Perng tucked the puck into the Thorold goal to tie it with just over two minutes remaining.

With the score tied 2-2 after regulation, a 10-minute full-strength overtime period was in the cards. Early in the period, Thorold attacked the Wolves’ net and the Hawks thought they scored. The team skated back to their end, throwing their sticks and gloves in the air to celebrate what they thought was their victory. 

Instead, the ref called a penalty shot on one of the Wolves for smothering the puck in the crease with his glove. Nichols subsequently stopped the Thorold shooter who tried to trick him by skating to his right before sliding the puck over to his backhand on the other side of the net, keeping NOTL’s hopes alive. 

Following that scoreless overtime period, another five minutes was played four-on-four, then yet another was played three-on-three, with many in the crowd only able to watch the action between splayed fingers. When the buzzer sounded after a full 60 minutes of hockey, it was time for a shootout. 

Rowaan was given the first attempt and shot wide of the net. Then the first Thorold shooter fanned on his shot and his try was whistled dead. 

Next up was Simpson, who skated up to Maritone, faked to the right then swung over to the left side of the net to put it past the outstretched goaltender. Nichols shut the door on the next Thorold shooter and the Wolves had a chance to lock in the win with their next attempt. 

But Maritone stopped the penalty shot by James Froese, leaving it up to Nichols to shut the door on the Hawks. And that’s exactly what he did, stopping the puck with his chest and kicking it away with his left pad before throwing his hands in the air to celebrate the win. 

“It definitely was scary,” an exuberant Nichols told The Local after the game. “I just kept it together, and luckily I was able to make the saves. I made some pretty big stops, and I feel really good about it.”

Pagnotta said Nichols, who received a hero’s welcome as he stepped off the ice, only donned  the goalie equipment for the first time this January. 

“He wanted to give it a try,” Pagnotta explained. “At first it was just in practice. We gave him a shot in a game and he just took off with it. He played amazing tonight.”

Simpson gave The Local a breakdown of his winning goal before heading into the dressing room to celebrate with his teammates. 

“I was just trying to get it on the net,” he said. “We practised it a few times. I did a fake shot then went around the other side and shot on the empty net. It was exactly how I planned it. I was pretty nervous, but I overcame the nerves and did it.” 

Simpson, though, was quick to give Nichols the credit for the win. 

“He is the hero,” Simpson said. “He played amazing. It’s unbelievable what he did tonight.”

Prior to the championship game the U11 Wolves had already punched their ticket to the Ontario Minor Hockey Association championships this upcoming weekend.

After a final practice on their home ice this past Sunday, the team will get ready to leave for Barrie Thursday. They take on Mount Brydges and Midland Friday and meet up with the top-seeded team from Saugeen Shores Saturday, with the top two teams in their pool moving on to the semi-finals Sunday. 

Pagnotta said the exciting league win Tuesday couldn’t have come at a better time.

“Going into the OMHAs,” Pagnotta concluded, “this shows the kids to keep battling, to never give up. And I try to remind them that it’s not just in hockey, these are life lessons, never give up on anything you do. We’ve drawn some pretty tough teams this weekend, but our guys work hard, and I’m feeling really good about our chances.”