March 3,
2025
Welcome to the play-offs.
Your Millbrook Stars travelled to Brooklyn tonight to open their
play-off series with the Durham Crusaders.
The tension was thick in the air. The butterflies were swirling in the
stomachs of parents and players alike. The boys were dialed in.
The first period was a high energy affair - terrific speed, hard forechecking,
and solid defending all around. Neither team wished to risk making a mistake. By
the end of the frame, nothing was settled, and the score remained 0-0.
After the Stars took a quick penalty in the second, defenceman Colton
Harris made a smart play holding the line in the offensive zone and sent a shot
towards the net that dodged traffic and found the back of the net. 1 – 0 for
the Stars. Shortly thereafter, the Crusaders returned the favour, notching a
short-handed marker of their own, squaring the affair. But the Dunlop/Gillespie/Adams line poured
the pressure on for their next shift and Dunlop seized on an opportunity and
beat the Durham keeper with a low wrister.
This same line had another dominant shift later in the period, and this
time it was Gillespie finding his own rebound in traffic and buried the coveted
insurance goal to give the Stars at 3-1 line going into the second
intermission.
The third period was eventful to say the last. Durham attempted to counterpunch, but the
Stars held down the fort. The defence never buckled, and the keeper, Wynn
Jennings, was called upon to make several clutch saves to keep the two-goal
lead intact. And late in the game, with a penalty about to be called against
the Stars, the Crusaders keeper took off for the bench for the extra attacker.
As he did this, however, an errant Crusader back pass found it’s way all the
way down the ice and into the empty cage, in a fortuitous turn of events for
the Stars. This play would seal the fate
for the Crusaders on this night.
Make the final: 4 – 1 for the Stars.
Overall, your Millbrook Stars battled hard and earned this gritty road
victory.
Next up, the boys return home to the Cavan-Monaghan Community Centre
this Wednesday, March 5, at 6:30 pm for the second game of their play-off
series against the Durham Crusaders in what is sure to be a highly entertaining
show. Limited seating still available.
Join us!
Go Stars Go.
M. Carney