Game #40ST. LOUIS SCARECROWS (5-6-0) 3 VS DETROIT FALCONS (5-2-3) 2 F/SO
St. Louis, MO – Tonight’s matchup of the St. Louis Scarecrows and the Detroit Falcons was a battle between two teams at opposite ends of the spectrum. The Falcons came into this game 5-2-2 and are beginning to look like a contender in the SMJHL this year. The Scarecrows were only 4-6-0 and they’re still looking to find their way as they’ve welcomed seven rookies into the fold this year. Those kids really brought their game tonight, as they played tough and the Scarecrows would walk away with a 3-2 win in a shootout. Let’s take a look at how they got there.
In the first period, the Falcons would come flying out of the gate and they’d take advantage of a St. Louis turnover to find the first goal of the game.

Quote:Merica with the puck and he’ll dump it into the Crows zone as the Falcons go off for a change. Landry goes back to get it in the corner and he’ll send it over to Rivet. Rivet takes off down the ice and gains the Detroit zone. He’ll look for a pass across and it’s taken by Sinikka! He sends the puck over to Metzler, who finds Evans in the neutral zone as the Falcons come up ice. Evans in the St. Louis zone now, and he’ll drop the puck to Metzler. Metzler sends it across to Vikstrom who will give it to Sinikka at the point as Detroit sets up in the zone. Sinikka, holds it, looks to shoot, but he’ll send it over to Metzler again. Metzler finds Zjang down low and he’ll skate in on net. Takes a SHOT and it goes wide! It travels along the boards back up to Metzler who takes a shot of his own and that goes wide. The Puck rebounds off the boards back in front AND THEY SCORE. Wahlgren wasn’t sure where the puck was and it was Vikstrom that tapped it into the net after the missed shot. 1-0 Detroit.

Henrik Vikstrom puts away his third of the season from Metzler and Zjang, 3:53 into the first period. The lead wouldn’t last too long however, as Jason Visser will hit pay dirt a few minutes later.

Quote:Westbrook with the puck now, and he’ll send it down into Detroit territory as the Scarecrows make a change. McSieve will slow it down for Versace. He’ll start up ice and look to pass, and its picked off by Diablo in the neutral zone. Diablo sends it to Targaryen who brings it over the line. He’ll send the puck over to Visser who takes it down low. Visser back to the point to Targaryen, who slides it across to Foster. Danny Foster now with it and he’ll slide it over to the half wall for Kurczewski. He’ll head towards the slot and take a shot, but it’s blocked by Jace Smith. The loose puck heads back to the point and Targaryen corrals it. He’ll take a shot of his own and it goes wide. Kurczewski finds the puck and he’ll curl towards the net, shoots again AND HITS THE POST. The puck ricochets back to Foster who quickly sends it to Diablo, across to Kurczewski. Kurczewski sends it back up to Foster, over to Targaryen. He looks for Visser in the slot, the shot, HE SCORRESSSSSS. JASON VISSER GETS HIS FIRST OF THE SEASON AND THIS GAME IS TIED AT 1!

The game is all tied up at 1 a piece, but it wouldn’t stay that way for long. With Gray in the box for roughing only 15 seconds after the goal, St. Louis would be on the power play:

Quote:Westbrook is going to take the faceoff after the icing call a moment ago. He gets kicked from the circle and Kurczewski will step in to take. Kurczewski wins the draw over to Visser. He sends it to Targaryen as the Scarecrows take off down the ice. Targaryen brings it into the Falcons’ zone. He’ll send it over to Kurczewski, and he’ll hold it as St. Louis sets up the power play. Kurczewski sends it to Weber at the point. He’ll wheel it over to Targaryen. Targaryen sends it down to Visser in the corner. He’ll skate it out and take a shot but its blocked by Sinikka. The puck slides to Weber. He sends it quickly to Kurczewski who shoots and Sinikka blocks that one too! Westbrook pulls the puck out of Sinikka’s legs and gives it up to Targaryen. He finds Kurczewski again and he’ll shoot it just wide THEY SCORE! The puck came out in front of the net off the boards and Ronnie Westbrook was there to put it home! 2-1 Scarecrows!

And that’s how the first period would end, 2-1 St. Louis. The second period wasn’t nearly as much fun, as neither team scored. St. Louis was doing their best to hold on in the third period, but Detroit would break through to tie the game early on in the third on the power play.

Quote:Westbrook dumps it down the ice as St. Louis gets a change, as the power play is winding down. McSieve gets the puck and sends it up to Vikstrom. Vikstrom brings it into the St. Louis zone. He’ll take a shot but its blocked by Targaryen. Metzler gets the loose puck and the Falcons set up in the zone. Metzler sends the puck over to Sinikka who takes a shot and its saved by Wahlgren. The puck is still loose, picked up by Vikstrom. He’ll send it to Evans. Evans, back to Vikstrom, and once again back to Evans. He’ll slide the puck up to Metzler, down to Vikstrom by the circle. He gives it back to Sinikka at the point, he’ll shoot AND HE SCORES!!! This game is tied at 2!

Sinikka’s 3rd goal of the season tied the game up at 2. And that’s how we’d end it in regulation. After we didn’t have any goals in Overtime, we’d go to a Shootout.

Quote:Shootout:
DET: Evans: Stopped by Wahlgren
STL: Kurczewski: Stopped by McSieve
DET: VIkstrom: GOAL!
STL: Visser: Stopped by McSieve
DET: Zjang: Stopped by Wahlgren
STL: Westbrook: GOAL!
DET: Merica: Stopped by Wahlgren
STL: Diablo: GOAL!

After Ronnie Westbrook scored to keep the Scarecrows alive, Dos Diablo won it for the Crows.

Other Stats
Shots: DET: 32 STL: 20
Hits: DET: 22 STL: 14
Faceoffs: STL: 39 DET: 38
Blocked Shots: STL: 9 DET: 9
PIMs: STL: 8 DET: 4

What the stats tell us is that the Scarecrows were lucky to be in the game. Wahlgren played excellently and St. Louis stole this game. They were out hit, out shot, and for the most part out played.

Three Stars
1. Henrik Vikstrom (1 goal, 1 assist, Shootout Goal) : Vikstrom was outstanding in the game, opening the scoring, getting a key assist on the tying goal, and even scoring in the shootout.
2. Jari Sinikka (1 goal): Sinikka scored the game tying goal to at least salvage a point for the Falcons.
3. Rhaegar Targaryen (2 assists): Targaryen played well in the game, notching two assists and had three shot blocks for the Scarecrows.