Ripley Wolves win one, lose one in semi-finals against Durham

The Ripley Wolves and Durham Thundercats are tied at a game apiece in their Senior “AA” semi-final series after each team won on home ice, on the weekend.

The Wolves downed Durham, 6-2, Saturday night at the Ripley Arena.

The Thundercats came out flying and jumped to a 2-0 lead midway through the first, before Dylan Sayle pulled the Wolves to within one by period’s end, with Gerrit Satosek and Pat Looby getting the helpers.

Brett Catto tied it up early in the second from Ben Hughes and Garrett Meurs. Five minutes later, Brent Walton one-timed home a ridiculous cross-ice, slap-pass on a two-on-one from Keaton Willis, giving the Wolves a 3-2 lead heading into the third period.

Meurs gave Ripley a bit of breathing room with a breathtaking shorthanded, unassisted goal, midway through the third. Meurs took the puck at his own blueline, battled the Durham defenceman for positioning, and cut to the middle of the ice before beating a second defenceman. He then walked over the Thundercats line with a man draped on his shoulders, and rifled a snapshot under the bar behind Durham’s goalie.

With the 'Cats now down 4-2, they began pulling their goalie whenever they had a faceoff in Ripley’s zone. The high-risk, high-reward strategy did not pay off for them in the final seven minutes, as Ripley added two empty-netters – Catto from Nick Seiler and Tyson Soers; and Soers from Ben Scheel.

Though Ripley had long stretches of sustained pressure in the Durham zone, Wolves goalie Ryan MacDonald was called upon many times to keep the Wolves in control, and he answered the bell every time, especially during those long stretches of Durham playing with the extra attacker.

Thanks to Kincardine Home Hardware, our Game 1 sponsor.

Sunday night in Durham, the Wolves were edged out by Durham, 6-5.

The T’Cats scored with 38 seconds remaining in the third period to tie the game, and then won it in overtime.

Ripley’s goal-scorers were Jeff Alcombrack, Brent Walton, Brett Catto (2), and Garrett Meurs. Assists went to Gerrit Satosek (2), Cody Britton (2), Walton (2), Dan Nicoloff, Alcombrack, Meurs, and Catto.

Jason Hamilton took the loss in the Wolves net.

Game 3 returns to Durham, Saturday, March 9, at 7 p.m.; and Game 4 is back in Ripley, Sunday, March 10, at 6:30 p.m. - game sponsor is the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO).