Q Update: PW Majors Advance With OT Win (1-0) Over Anaheim

2009-02-18

Niall Foster's goal with 25 seconds left in OT sends Spartans to Winner's Bracket Quarter Finals.

The Spartans 96s and the Anaheim Ducks treated the 4,000 plus fans at the Le Colisee Pepsi to an entertaining winner's bracket elimination game.  The Spartans OT win now advances them to the winner's bracket quarter finals which will be played on Friday (2/20) morning at 8:00am right back at Le Colisee Pepsi.

The link to a live video feed of Friday's game is below:  stream.megaquebec.net/peewee.asx

The game was very evenly played through the first and second periods with both teams goaltenders stealing the show.  Seacoast's Austin Wildes and Anaheim's Blake Weyrick both played exceptionally well in goal and shut down all scoring chances.

Most of the third period was played in a similar fashion but with about 4 minutes remaining in the frame the Spartans really started picking up the pace and controlling play with many excellent scoring chances but could not find the back of the net.  With 1.4 seconds remaining in regulation Charley Borek took the face off in the offensive zone and almost ended the game in regulation.  After a quick battle with Anaheim's center Borek was able to get a shot off at the buzzer.  The puck went in the net and there was a long official's conference before it was determined that the puck did not cross the goal line prior to the horn.

While the Spartans had more shots than Anaheim in OT, Austin Wildes had to come up with a couple of big saves to keep the Spartans alive.  In the final 30 seconds of OT from behind the net Charely Borek found and open Niall Foster on the side of the net.  Foster fired a shot high shot to the far side of the net that hit the Anaheim goaltender in the shoulder but he was unable to control the puck as it rolled over his shoulder and bounced behind him into the net for the Seacoast win.

Friday morning the Spartans will play the winner of the Blainville Bastions and the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles game.

The Spartans will play an exhibition game tomorrow (Thursday) against Baden-Wurttemberg (Germany) at 11:30am at the Rejean Lemelin Arena.

The Spartans game results for the event are as follows:

2-1 Win: Lakeshore Panthers (Tournament Game)
4-1 Win: Jr. Bruins (Exhibition)
9-1 Win: Cartier (Exibition)
5-4 Loss: PEI Rockets (Exhibition)
3-1 Win: Moncton Wildcats (Exhibition)
1-0 Win (OT): Anaheim Ducks (Tournament)