Jeffery Scores OT Winner To Lift Knights To Samson Cup Title
Friday, May 9, 2014 – Down 1-0 in the series, the Hornets were not counting themselves out of winning their second straight Samson Cup. After losing game 1 to the Knights in a shootout, it wasn’t going to get easier for the defending champs, who found out earlier in the week that they’d be without leading scorer Blayze Swerid. Swerid was ruled out of the rest of the finals with a lower body injury. When asked about not having Swerid in the line-up, Hornets’ coach, Jamie Wilson replied, “Blayze is one of our most consistent players. Not having him in this game is unfortunate, but we have a lot of depth on this team.”
Meanwhile, the Knights were coming off their fourth straight win against the Hornets, spanning back to February 28. During that span, the Knights won each game by one goal, one coming in a shootout.
To start the game, the Knights were content to sit back and be patient. They wanted to see what they would be up against, expecting a high pressured game from the Hornets, who dominated the league in ball possession. What they got was a flat-footed Hornets squad, and they would end up taking a 2-0 lead early in the 1st period. The Hornets would get one back on the powerplay, as Wilson put a shot through a screen five-hole on Knights’ goalie, Evan Ferreira. The period ended 2-1 in favor of the Knights.
The 2nd was all Hornets. The Knights got into some penalty trouble and the Hornets capitalized. Wilson finished a beautiful give-and-go play with Bret Early, driving to the net as Early put a pass off Wilson’s tape and into the open net, far side on Ferreira. They would take the lead soon after, as Early buried a shot from the slot. The Hornets would take a 3-2 lead into the 3rd, one period away from forcing a Game 3.
The 3rd was much like the 2nd. The Hornets possessed the ball for the majority of the period, while the Knights spent time in the penalty box. Jordan Groves capitalized on a giveaway in the Hornets zone, scoring off a pass from Knights’ captain, Rylan Jeffery. The Hornets would bounce back and retake the lead on a goal by Kevin Lister. The Hornets continued to search for the goal that would put the Knights away but the elite defending of Dylan Murray kept them from getting shots on net. Decked out in his lucky rainbow socks, the rookie, alternate captain, who almost didn’t suit up for the game, blocked many shots and denied the Hornets many times that final blow. With time winding down and in need a break, Knights’ coach, Marc-Nicholas Martin-Paulichenko, flipped the ball up on his way for a change towards the Hornets’ goal. Wilson eyed the ball and as he went to play it, it bounced over his stick and right through the unexpecting five-hole of Hornets’ goaltender, Jeston Bartram. And with that, Game 2 was off to overtime!
In overtime, the Knights put the ball down low in the Hornets’ zone. As the Hornets attempted to clear the ball, Brett Barron intercepted the ball. As he took the shot from Bartram’s right, the defenseman in front of the net, left to challenge the shot, leaving the crease unprotected. Bartram made the initial save and then sprawled out to make a save on Groves who was sitting alone in front. The ball then popped out from underneath Bartram, just as Jeffery was crashing in from behind the net. He pounced on the loose ball, sliding it under Bartram, into the net to complete the sweep of the defending champs.
The Knights win their first Samson Cup and 3rd championship in franchise history (Damascus Cup in 2012 & 2013).
Players of the Game
Knights: Rylan Jeffery – 1 goal, 2 assists, OT Winner
Hornets: Kevin Lister – 1 goal
Samson Cup MVP: Dylan Murray – 4GP, 2 assists, many blocked shots
