09-29-2019, 08:30 PM(This post was last modified: 09-29-2019, 08:34 PM by uhh.)
Ten Minutes into 2nd Period: Another Power Play for Team World
The pressure from Team World has UCORCAL all out-of-sorts to start the second period, and Jagger Fouquette @"Waters" takes a hooking penalty after having been hemmed in his end with his linemates for a long shift.
Team World sends out the first powerplay team to try and capitalize.
Jagger Fouquette (CRL) for Hooking (Minor) at 13:10
09-29-2019, 08:33 PM(This post was last modified: 09-29-2019, 08:34 PM by uhh.)
UCORCAL Kills the Penalty, then Draws One
Booth holds down the fort for UCORCAL during the Team World PP, fighting off three good shots from Namokato, Urawa, and Parmborg respectively. Those three continue to be the most energetic line for Team World - it feels like something happens every time they are on the ice.
Nearing the end of the period now, and UCORCAL has drawn a penalty after Cant Eykhil @"linsangeles" is called for interference in the neutral zone. UCORCAL's turn to try and gain the lead.
Cant Eykhil (WOR) for Interference (Minor) at 16:28
UCORCAL is having a hard time getting anything going with the man-advantage, and it's killed off seemingly as quickly as it started. Eykhil steps back onto the ice, and we'll play the last two minutes of the period at even strength, still tied at one a piece.
09-29-2019, 08:39 PM(This post was last modified: 09-29-2019, 08:42 PM by uhh.)
GOAL: Mitsuharu Makes it 2-1 WOR!
Yamamoto Mitsuharu @"TML99" makes a great move to cut in front of the net and backhand the puck behind Booth after a nice give-and-go with Rintarou Okabe @"ByrdeMan". Team World has restored the lead in the latter stages of the second period!
3. World , Yamamoto Mitsuharu 1 (Rintarou Okabe 1, Nicholas Owens @"Grum" 1) at 15:30
09-29-2019, 08:41 PM(This post was last modified: 09-29-2019, 08:41 PM by uhh.)
End of 2nd: WOR 20 minutes away from Bronze
40 minutes are in the books here in Prague. Mitsuharu's late goal is currently the deciding one, as Team World leads UCORCAL 2-1. It has been a stingy game with good goaltending and defense on both sides. Will two goals be enough?
There's a small delay as the teams are taking the ice for the third period. Apparently, there's an issue with the goal light behind Team World's net. It's stuck flashing red and nobody can seem to reset it. You can trust me that it's true - I would have made up a better story if it wasn't.
The light turned out to be prophetic! Maybe they should have just left it on, as Mikas Bieksa records his second point of the game with a game-tying shot from the slot. That's twice now that UCORCAL defensemen have scored from the blue line, as they're doing a good job getting traffic in front of Spector.
With the way goalies have been playing tonight, it feels like a game where a high-traffic, knuckleball shot may decide it.
4. UCORCAL , Mikas Bieksa 1 (Ravyn Tedisko 2, Jan Zacha @"StaticShocked" 1) at 0:36
Since Bieksa's goal, UCORCAL has seemingly spent the entire third period in Team World's end, as WOR has yet to record a shot on goal in the period. UCORCAL just took their tenth shot of the period, and Spector has made some sparkling saves to keep it even.
The pressure is building, and if UCORCAL scores, it feels like the lid will be blown off the building here.
09-29-2019, 08:55 PM(This post was last modified: 09-29-2019, 08:55 PM by uhh.)
Last Minute of Regulation: Heavy Pressure Continues from UCORCAL
Faceoff in Team World's end after an icing by Samuel Michaud @"golden_apricot". Okabe wins the draw, but Jakub Bruchevski @"JaytheGreat" does a good job at forcing the turnover.
Piotr Horvat @"Slowpoke" gets a great shot off on Spector, but she stands tall to make the save.
One more faceoff, and Calogero Crudelli @"jason97" gets two FANTASTIC chances on Spector. He misses the net with the first shot, but then takes the puck off the boards and tries again, with Spector sealing off the post nicely to keep it from squeaking by.
FINAL HORN! Tied at two, so we are going to overtime!
Team World is just happy for the bell after that period. Emiko Spector certainly kept her team in the game with a fantastic goaltending performance. Booth, by comparison, wasn't really tested much in the third.
You have to feel that UCORCAL has all of the momentum on its side. If they can come out and keep up the same pace, it's hard to imagine them not going home with the bronze medal.
Team World will have to fight off the pressure and the hostile crowd if they want to have a shot at reeling this thing in. It only takes one chance in OT, so let's see how it goes as the teams take the ice again.
Not really sure what to make of the game, but the first overtime feels more like a preseason game than a medal-deciding period. Sloppy hockey all around, as the young players may be letting the moment get to them.
We have had four penalties in this period: three for UCORCAL and one for Team World. WOR had three consecutive powerplays to start the frame, but didn't do much to test Booth and let the golden opportunities pass by unclaimed.
UCORCAL got a powerplay chance late in the overtime, but even with the home crowd behind them, couldn't put one behind Spector.
Hard to believe that after an OT with four powerplays, we are going to need a second overtime. That's exactly where we are headed now as the horn sounds.
Overtime #1
No Goal
Penalties : Piotr Horvat (CRL) for Roughing (Minor) at 0:11, Mikas Bieksa (CRL) for Boarding (Minor) at 3:07, Boruvka Banananak @"PeanutButter" (CRL) for Elbowing (Minor) at 13:57, Zbigniew Pokrywka (WOR) for Hooking (Minor) at 18:56
Second Overtime Underway, and WOR is Shorthanded Again
We've started the fifth period of hockey in tonight's bronze medal game, with the next goal being the winner.
Akira Ren @"Velevra" takes an interference penalty, and after getting three consecutive penalties to start OT1, UCORCAL has a chance to end it here with a powerplay goal. There isn't a single person not standing as Ren skates to the box.