Rookie Hogg Plays Hero In Kings Opener
16-year-old rookie Brady Hogg netted the game-winner in a 3-2 overtime victory in the Kings season opener
Brady Hogg couldn’t have asked for the Dresden Jr Kings to write a better script for his first Great Lakes Junior “C” regular season game.
The 16-year-old rookie defenceman played the role of hero, burying a wrist shot in the new 3-on-3 overtime format as the hometown Kings opened the 2015-16 campaign with a 3-2 OT win over the Alvinston Flyers on Friday night.
Alvinston’s Jordan Hayes opened the scoring after a nifty cross-ice pass from Karsten Berg with just after a minute and a half left in what was a tightly played first period. Dresden would answer in the early stages of the second period when Will Tetzlaf grabbed his first of two consecutive goals of the evening, his second coming at the 10:37 mark of the third period to give Dresden a 2-1 lead. Derek Shaw assisted on both of Tetzlaf’s goals with Derek Daly and Keven Ritzer also grabbing helpers.
With goaltender Cam MacAlpine on the bench for the extra man, Karsten Berg found the scoresheet for the second time on the night, tying the game with 47 seconds left in regulation. Berg was able to re-direct a point shot from defenceman Clint Rose and cashed in on a second-chance opportunity, lifting a backhand attempt over the shoulder of new Dresden goalie Joel Sowinski,
298 appreciative fans in Dresden had the opportunity to witness the new 3-on-3 overtime format with an extended 7 minutes on the overtime clock. It didn’t take long for the action to pick up with chances at both ends. The Kings kept Alvinston busy until Dillon Liberty found Dresden’s 16-year-old Hogg at the side boards. Hogg took a couple of strides and sized up MacAlpine, beating him low on the near side to grab the game winner in his first ever Jr “C” game.
Former Lakers goaltender Joel Sowinski was solid making three game-saving stops and turning away 28 of 30 shots. Alvinston’s MacAlpine saw 48 shots, stopping 45.
The Jr Kings are back in action on Wednesday night in Wallaceburg for the Lakers season and home opener.