The Listowel Cyclones opened up their 2019-20 regular season schedule at home tonight, playing host to the Brampton Bombers.
A much younger Cycs team came out flying with great speed and fore checking. Both teams were a bit sloppy with the puck in the offensive zone, with the soft ice causing the puck to bounce a lot. Listowel were extremely crisp on their breakouts, and defensively didn’t surrender much. The teams exchanged power plays, with Listowel carrying theirs into the second.
The Cyclones failed to score on the power play, but created a couple solid scoring chances. The teams exchanged some big hits, and then after the midway point, Listowel really started taking over, hitting a couple posts and generating turnovers and odd man rushes with their speed, pushing the shot clock to 18-7. At the 7:56 mark, Brampton took a time out to try to calm things down. New Head Coach and former Cycs bench boss Jeff Flannigan was hoping to get his team back in the zone. Brampton picked up the physicality as Andrew Reynolds got mixed up with Brenden Koops, sending both to the box. Brampton got their best chance on an odd man break with a big rebound but youngster Dixon Grimes made a huge recovery toe save. Grimes made another great kick save a minute later, as well. Listowel continued generating chances, missing 6 or 7 high quality ones in the period, but again, the teams were scoreless, with the shots at 24-11 Cyclones. Bombers goalie Owen Porter did a sensational job holding his team in it.
The third began much like the first two frames. Listowel earned a power play just before the 13 minute mark, but it was disjointed and didn’t generate much of anything. Big hits were exchanged by both teams, and just after the 8 minute mark, rookie Dylan Richardson took a cross checking penalty that Listowel had to deal with. Then, captain Brendan Clayton got dinged for the same call, giving Brampton a very long 5-on-3. Veteran Steven Grant caused a turnover and had a shorthanded breakaway, but could not convert. Listowel killed the 5-on-3 and had the best chance on it. Then, it was Brampton’s turn to be dealt a cross checking penalty with 4:40 on the clock. The Cyclones would fail to score. The game would remain scoreless and head to overtime.
In the extra 4-on-4 frame, Listowel got some early chances before Jonah White got nailed with an interference call with 3:26 left. Listowel Head Coach Jesse Cole elected to take his timeout to set up a survival plan. It wouldn’t work. Andrew Reynolds scored with 2:13 left to seal a 1-0 road OT win for Brampton. Dixon Grimes played very well, turning away 27 of the 28 shots he faced. Owen Porter was by far the first star, stopping all 32 Listowel shots for the shutout. Listowel next play at home Sunday at 1:30 against Stratford.
The Cyclones and Brampton Bombers line up for overtime. September 13th, 2019 (Photo by Ryan Drury)