The Reeths-Puffer hockey team came oh-so-close to posting three victories in three games.
The Rockets started off their busy week with an exciting 5-3 come-from-behind win over West Ottawa on Wednesday. They trailed by one after two periods, then scored three in the third to steal the victory.
R-P kept it going on Friday, breaking a tie with another three goals in the third period to beat the FNV Griffins 8-5 in their first game at the Stan Konrad Showcase at Lakeshore Sports Centre.
Tyler Cuti: Five goals in three games. Photo/Jeremy Clark
The winning ended in a heartbreaking way on Saturday, however. The Rockets led 2-1 late in the third period, gave up a goal with only 1:22 left in regulation, then were outscored in an overtime shootout and lost 3-2 to Canton in their final game at the Konrad Showcase.
The week was an exciting one for R-P forward Tyler Cuti, who nearly doubled his total by scoring five goals over three games, including two on Wednesday, one on Friday and two more on Saturday. He now has 11 goals this season.
“Ty is finding his stride,” said R-P{ head coach Bill Zalba about Cuti. “He has always been able to fire the puck, and he’s now gaining the confidence to create for himself and others. He’s been on fire as of late.”
R-P's Connor Anderson closes in on the Canton goal. Photo/Jeremy Clark
Saturday’s game went well in a lot of ways for the Rockets, who had a 32-21 advantage in shots on goal.
Tyler Cuti scored about a minute into the game, with assists from Dom Switzer and Hayden Taylor, and led 1-0 after one period.
Cuti scored again a little over four minutes into the second period, putting the Rockets up 2-0. Canton scored with 8:01 left in the period, and R-P led 2-1 heading into the third.
Most of the third period was scoreless, and Reeths-Puffer was 1:22 away from securing the win, when Canton’s Dylan Parrish tied the game and sent it to overtime.
R-P's Eli Cuti (17) chases after the loose puck. Photo/Jeremy Clark
There was no scoring in the regular OT period, and it went to the shootout, with individual players from each team going one-on-one with the opposing goalie.
Eleven players from each team took a turn. Four Panthers scored, while only three Rockets found the net, and West Ottawa skated away with the win.
Taylor, Connor Anderson and Eli Cuti scored in the shootout for the Rockets.
“Today’s game was a hard-fought game,” said Coach Zalba, whose team is now 9-7-1 on the season. “We had our opportunities to close it out and we just didn’t get the bounces. It was fun to watch the shootout. It’s something that doesn’t happen very often.”
Hayden Taylor gets a shot off with an opponent's stick stuck on his arms. Photo/Jeremy Clark
R-P 5, West Ottawa 3
The two teams exchanged goals in the first period of the O-K Conference Fisher Division contest.
West Ottawa opened the scoring within the first two minutes, then R-P’s Taylor scored about five minutes into the game, with an assist from Eli Cuti. The Panthers went up 2-1 with 6:30 remaining, then R-P’s Jordan Benkert answered with 1:14 left, with an assist from Kaeden Benner.
West Ottawa scored the final goal of the first with 13 seconds left and led 3-2 heading into the second.
There was no scoring in the second period, then the Rockets rose up with three unanswered goals and stole the victory in the third.
Tyler Cuti scored and tied the game with 11:06 remaining, with assists from Taylor and Anderson. Taylor scored the winning goal with 2:50 left, with assists from Switzer and Eli Cuti, then Tyler Cuti scored an empty-netter, with an assist from Taylor, with 59 seconds left.
Bear VanDyke got the win in goal.
R-P's Chase Strunk digs after the puck. Photo/Jeremy Clark
R-P 8, FNV Griffins 5
The Rockets seemingly took control of the game with a five-goal explosion in the first period.
Tyler Cuti, Switzer, Eli Cuti, Beckitt Johnson and Taylor all scored for R-P in the first 17 minutes.
Switzer had two assists in the period, along with one apiece for Benner, Eli Cuti, Benkert, Rohan Moyer and Thomas Grasman.
FNV scored once in the first period, and R-P led 5-1 headed into the second.
There was unexpected drama to come, however. FNV scored the only two goals of the second period and trailed 5-3, then scored the first two of the third period to tie the score 5-5.
At that point the Rockets could have folded up and let their opponents complete the comeback, but instead they regrouped and got the job done.
Anderson scored an unassisted goal with 10:28 left in the game. Taylor followed with a goal with 5:44 left, assisted by Switzer, then Benkert got an empty-netter with one second remaining, with an assist from Taylor.
R-P had a 32-30 edge in shots on goal. Goalie Cason DeVowe got the win for the Rockets.