Hockey at its best, played to a stage of hundreds in a small town near you.

This is a random sample of one of my sports articles that appeared in a local paper in Lumsden, Sk. My articles were well received and informative. I believe that the style is unique, there is no formula traceable to institutionalized molding.

Lumsden Defeats Semans 6-5 in Dramatic Showdown

While a cold Friday night in the midst of an old-fashioned January deep freeze might signal an evening on the couch to most, the Lumsden Arena was fever pitched serving as host to a barn burning display of fireworks, red-hot saves and a final shoot-out scene John Wayne himself would have loved. Though the event in question was a clash between the Highway Hockey League’s Lumsden Monarchs and Semans Wheat Kings as opposed to a Western movie struggle between posses and outlaws, the Duke does have a place in hockey lore starring in Idol of the Crowds in 1937. Despite the long history between hockey and Hollywood, screenwriters would be hard pressed to come up with a script that could match Friday night’s game in Lumsden. The game even featured a classic improbable hero, the Monarch’s special teams.

The tempo was set early as Semans opened the scoring less than two minutes into the first period as Kellen Sillinger notched his seventh goal. The former Melville Millionaire kick started a night in which he and his linemates would record an impressive four points apiece. Still early in the first period, Lumsden’s Tyson Getzinger took advantage of a neutral zone turnover scoring his fourth goal of the season beating Seman’s goalie Colin Munroe, who briefly had the puck in his trapper before it ultimately eluded him. Munroe would later make amends as he went on to enjoy a solid outing making 41 saves. Monarch’s goaltender Trevor Thiessen, who saved his best work for his close-up in the final scene, was also strong making 36 saves.

Just 30 seconds into the second period and short-handed, Lumsden took a 2 – 1 lead as Jeff Harris set up Battlefords Northstars alum Jesse Matlock. It was the first short-handed goal Semans had surrendered this season. That momentum was short lived as 3 minutes later the Line of Sillinger, Jared Molnar and Darren Lynch were firing on all cylinders first knotting the game at 2 and then Lynch, who scored over 200 points in his WHL career, fired the go ahead marker at 7:33 of the second. Semans then went ahead 4 – 2 as Derek Parker notched his sixth. Parker opportunistically joined the rush after serving the second of his 4 penalties. No stranger to the penalty box, Parker had 268 penalty minutes as a 16 year-old rookie in the WHL and went on to log a villainous pair of 500 plus PIM seasons as a pro. Reggie Dunlop would be proud!

Despite surrendering 3 consecutive goals, the Monarchs began finding their rhythm. Chipping away at the Wheat King’s momentum, the Monarchs utilized their speed to create rushes off of turn-overs. The effort paid off as late in the second Lumsden drew within a goal when Austin Preete scored with assists going to Dustin Gutwin and Jeff Lawson. That goal came just six seconds after another impressive Monarch penalty kill. Lumsden’s special teams have struggled this season. The Monarchs sit last in the league in power play efficiency and second last in penalty killing. Tonight, however, was a different story. The PK had already scored the first short-handed goal Semans had surrendered all year and followed that up by creating the chance for Preete’s goal. As impressive and improbable as it may have been, the best was still to come for the Monarch’s penalty killers.

Lumsden took advantage of its late second period momentum scoring just 14 seconds into the third and tying the game at 4. The tying goal was set up by Brady Aulie, who is better known for his exploits on the football field with the U of R Rams, but tonight the football star set up former LaRonge Ice Wolves forward Tyson Getzinger for his second of the night. The furious back and forth battle continued as the Wheat Kings once again took a one goal lead when Jared Molnar scored his second of the game and 17th of the season. There were a total of 30 shots on goal in the third period as both goalies made many spotlight stealing saves. Lumsden was assessed two late penalties giving Semans a golden opportunity to put the game away. As the clock wound down to the final 2 minutes, the Monarchs found themselves in the unenviable position of trailing 5-4 while fending off a two-man advantage. Goldfinger could not have put James Bond into a more daunting predicament. But tonight belonged to the Monarchs penalty kill. Led by Jeff Lawson, an accomplished veteran of the junior, senior and university ranks, the PK not only held off the 5 on 3, they once again used their speed to create offense. As the first of the two penalties expired and with only one minute and 45 seconds left in regulation time, Lawson scored the tying goal with a pin-point shot on a great feed from Jesse Matlock. Harris also assisted, his second of the game. It was the Monarchs second short-handed goal of the night, and only the second short-handed goal scored against Semans in 2010-2011.

A hectic five minute 4 on 4 overtime ensued with quality chances for both sides but no results for either team. The game went to a shoot out. The Highway Hockey League shoot-out format is the same format used by the NHL. Each team selects 3 players. If no winner is determined after 3 rounds, additional players shoot one by one until a winner emerges. Semans selected Sillinger, Lynch and Molnar to shoot. Each of Semans gunslingers had registered 4 point nights and were clearly dangerous. Lumsden’s first shooter, Stuart Poulin, scored tucking one under Munroe. It was all the Monarchs would need. Thiessen was clutch denying all three of Semans high-powered shooters giving Lumsden a 6-5 win. The Monarchs had a great team effort and converted improbable situations into possibilities. Could have been a movie.