BREWSTER, NY – Both teams came in playing their 3rd game in 3 nights, and starting to feel just a touch of fatigue as they hit the ice this Saturday night in Brewster. The River Drivers were coming off two losses; in Danbury and at home against Dayton. Meanwhile the Bulldogs have been more successful, getting a point in an overtime loss on Thursday in Port Huron and following up with a 3 point winning victory in Port Huron on Friday. Nine points separated Berlin and Brewster in the standings, with the last playoff spot still up for grabs and a 3 team race, so much was at stake tonight. The Bulldogs played well and earned another 3 points to get back in the playoff hunt.
In the first period the Bulldogs dominated, outshooting the River Drivers by a heavy margin. Paul Bourbeau Jr. did his best to keep things close and make big saves. Brewster would strike first on the board, at the 10:18 mark after Dustin Jesseau forced a turnover in the Berlin zone and Nikolai Okhlobystin finished the play by crashing the net and putting the puck over the goal line to make it 1-0. The other big point in the period was a couple minutes later when Nathan Sheriff demolished River Driver Tom Tracy, who was tipping a puck ahead and forgot to keep his head up and got laid out by Sheriff. Steven Gallo quickly came over and engaged Sheriff in a quick yet intense battle of fists.
The 2nd period was by far Berlin’s best frame of the game. Paul Bourbeau Jr. continued to make saves and prevent Brewster from increasing their lead. Finally after two delay of game penalties on Brewster, Berlin equalized on a 5 on 3 as Cameron Yarwood blasted one home to make it 1-1. Berlin continued to attack the Brewster end and would score on another penalty, from Brantley Sherwood to make it 2-1 Berlin. This would be Berlin’s only lead of the game going into the 2nd intermission.
Brewster would rebound in period number 3, and only 3 minutes after puck drop, John Scully would finish a beautiful tic tac toe play from MJ Graham and Nikolai Okhlobystin to make it 2-2. It would be back and forth the next several minutes and both Bourbeau Jr and Jeromy Semtner made great saves to keep it tied, neither side wanting to give an inch in such a huge period of a huge game. The stalemate ended halfway through the period as Sean Maktaak’s excellent forechecking led to an opportunity down low, and fed Alex Johnson, waiting at the door step to put the puck in the net and give the Bulldogs the lead once again. The lead would be extended at the 14:01 mark as Dustin Jesseau made a highlight reel play. After taking a hit, he grabbed the puck away from one Berlin player, deked around veteran Andre Niec before going in on goal and undressing Paul Bourbeau Jr for a gorgeous goal to make it 4-2. Berlin would be unable to battle back, taking 2 penalties in the final 6 minutes and unable to mount an offensive, and the Bulldogs would win 4-2
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