Titans drop first game in post season action at home

Paris Titans Hockey Report with George Le Gresley

The Paris Titans having finished last in the Doherty division, they drew the fourth place Woodstock Navy Vets as their first-round playoff opponents. Because of the lack of available ice, the first game of this series usually given to the higher seeded team, begins on Paris Home Ice this past Thursday.

So, let’s take a look at how the two teams stack up Head-tohead, the Navy Vets having won 5 and the Titans 2. The two wins that the Titans had was split with one at home and one away. The key for the

Titans to beat Woodstock is to have a healthy lineup (currently there are many who are injured), to cut the number of penalties they take, especially penalties in the opponent’s end.

The Titan’s leading scorer, Thomas Lonsdale, is serving a suspension and not likely to return to play until the last few games of the series, the scoring will have to come from Tyler Crisostomo.

The Titan bench was reloaded with players off the injured list and were ready to embark on their first playoff series under the Titan name. Josh Roman got the start in net and the Titans came out flying. Seth Kirou had a great chance to score. Three minutes into the period, a Woodstock player had the puck caught in his gear; he grabs the puck and tosses 10 feet in the air. The referee, seeing the puck flying, calls a penalty for handling the puck and the Titans get a power play! Ten seconds later with the Titans into the power play, a Titan trips a Woodstock player in front of the net and negates the advantage

Photos by Michelle Malvaso

with a penalty. Then 7:17 into the period, Paris takes a major penalty for checking from behind and since the team has to play a man short for 5 minutes, Woodstock scores two power play goals. The Navy Vets score another and the period ends with the Titans trailing 3-0.

The second period the Titans played in my opinion, one of the best periods of the season, killing a penalty effectively and controlling the game physically and on the offence creating scoring chances, such as Brett Cowen and Owen Switzer hitting the posts. The only thing that the Titans didn’t do to make it a perfect period was score. In the end, the Titans went to the dressing room still trailing 3-0. In the third period it seemed that Paris lost steam and the energy level in their game stepped down.

Woodstock scored two more goals to end the game 5-0. The team travelled to Woodstock

Friday evening (score not available by press deadline) and game 3 is back at home at the Brant Sports Complex tonight, Sunday March 3 at 7:30 pm. Should a game 6 be required, the game will be played at the BSC on Saturday March 9 at 7:30 pm.