By: Daniel Vazzoler
The Carleton Place Canadians were on the road Friday night to face the Rockland Nationals and the Canadians power play was the difference in their 4-0 win.
Friday’s game started calm but after the Canadians got a 3-0 lead, the intensity increased and so did the penalty totals for both teams. Carleton Place and Rockland had their chances with the power play, but it was Carleton Place who took advantage of them by going 3-for-7 with the extra man, while holding Rockland to 0-for-4.
Late in a Carleton Place power play, the line of Ben Tupker-Zach Tupker-Jack Clark was on the ice and the ‘Tupker Twins’ connected for the power play goal. Zach won the face-off just outside the Nationals zone and Ben got to the puck in the attacking zone. Zach got past his defender and made a move to beat Sean Storr, but was stopped on his first try and then got his own rebound for the goal.
Joey Warywoda extended the lead to 2-0 2:16 into the second period. Travis Broughman forced the turnover right in the slot and slid the puck back to Warywoda. He snapped his shot through Storr for the goal and – just to be sure – Broughman put the puck back into the net afterwards.
Sam Knoblauch scored his first of two power play goals 10:57 into the middle frame. Broughman earned his second assist on the play, moving the puck to Knoblauch in the corner. Knoblauch walked out and from the edge of the crease beat Storr up top on the glove-side.
Knoblauch wheeled off the boards for his second power play goal of the game. Tim Theocharidis moved the puck to Knoblauch, once again, set up in the left-wing corner. This time, instead of taking it right to the net, Knoblauch came up the boards and used the circle for a path to the slot before putting his shot back against Storr, beating the goalie on the blocker side.
Michael Leach got the call in the Canadians net and, with the Canadians on the power play seven times in the game, he spent most of the game watching it as he only had to make 12 saves for the shutout. Storr was tested often as Carleton Place ended the game with 38 shots on goal.
Entering Friday’s game, Rockland had allowed only one power play goal against while at the Rockland CIHA – Arena 1 in its first 10 home games.
Carleton Place returns to the Carleton Place Arena on Sunday when they host the Kemptville 73’s at 3 p.m.
