Team NEO 9 vs. Team MATRIX 5
Friday, March 18, 2011

The series drama is... over. Team NEO rode their recent OT victories and the momentum that came with it into this series-clinching game and did not look back. Not wanting to tempt fate in the final game of the series but rather looking to finish off their rivals tonight, it certainly started out with a familiar storyline. That is, Team Matrix getting out to a solid first half rolling both forward lines and applying pressure in the offensive zone... which was working for the most part and getting a 5-3 lead by mid-way... but emergency sub goalie Wayland Young stayed focussed and remained solid giving his team a chance... and a chance they took as they responded in kind, thanks in part to some line juggling and producing six unanswered goals... including some of the pretty passing variety too, all in the latter half and effectively taking the wind out of the sails of Team Matrix... not quite the nail-biting finishes as of late, but a stunningly close series overall as both teams were intense and battling close in nearly every game of the series... so the final wind-up game of the series (and at our Trout Lake venue) takes place next week with just a moral victory left on the table.

MDHL STARS OF THE GAME    Michael Nguyen  Still speedy, and not a bad debut for this born again MDHL alumni from yesteryear.    Jason Lai  Second hat trick in as many games, this time powered by the two beers beforehand at the Giants game.    Wayland Young  Emergency call up goalie was solid on first and second saves and playing the puck too. View the lifetime game star tally.