PORT PERRY - After dropping the first two games of their COJHL semifinal series to the Little Britain Merchants last weekend, the MoJacks returned home last Thursday (Jan. 25) looking to swing the momentum in their favour.

By Darryl Knight/The Scugog Standard

The MoJacks hit the ice with renewed vigour and intensity and dominated the action early. Andrew Rhynhold hit the post on a breakaway less than 30 seconds into the game and Cory Finney and Evan Haslam both dished out devastating body checks on their first shift.

When Merchants goalie Jordan Ross left the game early in the first period due to illness, the MoJacks took full advantage. Jared Olsen’s unassisted wraparound goal gave the home team an early lead, which was augmented by a power play goal from Corey Durward (assisted by Dylan Thompson) to put the MoJacks up 2-0 lead after 20 minutes of play.

John Lobraico made a number of acrobatic saves throughout the first two periods to keep the Merchants off the scoreboard and, just over four minutes into the second period, Durward’s second power play goal extended the MoJacks’ lead to 3-0. Haslam picked up the lone assist.

Midway through the second period, the MoJacks found themselves deep into penalty trouble. Luckily they received dynamic penalty killing from wingers Kirk Anderson and Keegan Lawson and defenceman Derek Hart.

However, the wheels came off for the MoJacks in the third period, as the Merchants rallied with three goals to tie the game and force overtime. Chris Currins, Nolan Jewell (shorthanded) and Andy Moynes all scored for Little Britain.

Both teams had good chances to score in the overtime period, but the MoJacks could not clear Jewell from in front of the net and, just over 10 minutes into the extra frame, he scored on a backhand shot to give the Merchants a 4-3 comeback victory and a 3-0 stranglehold in the best-of-seven series.

Saturday night, the series shifted back to Little Britain with the MoJacks’ needing a win to avoid elimination.

The Merchants emerged from the dressing room the hungrier team and dominated the MoJacks in all three zones during the first period. Nolan Jewell had a pair of goals, one shorthanded and the other on the power play, to give Little Britain a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes.

Just over halfway through the second period, the MoJacks cut the lead in half when Brock Smith jammed in a loose puck after battling in front of the Merchants’ net. Rhynhold and Durward assisted on the goal.

The Merchants regained the two-goal lead early in the third period, however, behind a goal from Chris Currins.

The MoJacks fought valiantly to claw their way back into the game. Josh Boniface hit a post shortly after Currins’ goal and Finney, Hart and Brock Smith all delivered punishing physical play.

The MoJacks’ hard work paid off with just over four minutes remaining. Mark Yule entered the offensive zone with a great deal of speed and dished the puck to a falling Finney in front of the net, who tipped the puck past Ross to make the score 3-2 in favour of the Merchants.

The MoJacks’ two overage players, captain Corey Skene and Port Perry native Jared Olsen, both played like warriors down the stretch with dominating physical play, and both had excellent scoring chances denied. However, the Merchants held on and escaped with a 3-2 victory to sweep the series in four games.

Following the loss, head coach Corey Bricknell addressed his players with an emotional speech that touched on several topics. He thanked his veteran players for their leadership and asked the players to “remember how this feels, this is what makes you strong.”
Bricknell also thanked the hard work of his staff and stressed the importance of off-season training under the guidance of the MoJacks’ renowned fitness coach Chris McAuley.

“We’re going to work hard all summer, running the hills and crawling on our knuckles,” he said. “We will build on this. No excuses.”

Above all else he stressed that his players “be proud of how they played and how they represented the MoJacks and Port Perry.”

Loose pucks...
-The other COJHL semifinal series wrapped up on Monday night when the Uxbridge Bruins won 3-2 over Lakefield to win the series four games to two. The Merchants and Bruins will now square off in the COJHL finals, which will likely begin on Friday night in Uxbridge.
-The Scugog Standard wishes to thank all of the MoJacks’ staff and players for their assistance over the course of the season.