Game Recap

Ice Prowlers away versus the Olentangy Braves
@ the Chiller in Dublin
Sunday, October 30th, 2005

PROWLERS SQUEAK OUT A "W" TO START THE SEASON

The Prowlers began the 2005-2006 season on Sunday night with their first GCHSCHL league game against the Olentangy Braves. The Braves finished last season with a 4th place regular season finish and a record of 10-13-1. The two teams last met in the GCHSCHL Blue Jackets Cup Semi-Finals, where the Prowlers eliminated the Braves with a 4-2 victory to advance to the Cup Finals against Westerville. But that was all behind them now as the two teams both looked forward to starting their 2005-2006 seasons.

In what became a very physical and hard fought game, goaltending was the showcase. With junior Justin Lohrman getting his first ever start for the Prowlers, the team was riding a total of 42 minutes of experince between the pipes. At the other end was more of a known goaltending commodity in Sean Wallace who has been the backbone of the Braves for the past two seasons. Always a competitor, the Prowlers knew that goals where not going to come easy in this game. But they had no idea just to what extent.

The first period saw steady play from both sides, with the first Braves shot coming just 25 seconds into the contest. Lohrman was equal to the challenge early and played steady between the pipes the entire match. The Prowlers found themselves shorthanded in the first period for a stretch of five minutes that included 1:30 minutes down 5-on-3. The penalty killing unit played perfect, killing the man advantage and keeping the score tied at 0-0.

The rest of the game saw the goaltenders stealing the spotlight as they continued to turn away shot after shot for 44 straight minutes each. There didn't appear to be any cracks in the armor until late in the third period when the Prowlers had thought they scored when a puck snuck out from under Wallace and was quickly fired into the net, but it was ruled that the whistle had already blown and the goal was disallowed. That did not deter the Prowlers who continued to pounce on the Braves in the third period. Finally as the final seconds ticked off of the clock, senior alternate captain Taylor Walcutt was able to find the back of the net (assisted by junior Nick Hess) with 1.1 seconds remaining on the clock to give the Prowlers the dramatic win.

Lohrman earned a shutout in his first high school start, and kept his team in this night's contest. He looks to continue that streak when the Prowlers face the Hilliard/Southwest Wildcats on Friday (11/04/2005) at 7:00 PM at the Chiller in Dublin, then the Prowlers follow that up with a rematch of last year's GCHSCHL Blue Jackets Cup Finals when the they open their home schedule against the Westerville Warcats on Sunday (11/06/2005) at 5:40 PM at the Chiller at Easton.