Let it Snow?

The wakeup call game the temperature..... 5 degrees. As the midgets loaded on the bus, they realized that it wasn't that cold. The outdoor thermometer on the bus read 33 degrees. So the 5 degrees was most likely the projected high for the day . . . in Celsius. An 7am departure pre-dawn departure from the hotel got the players to the rink before it was light.

Today's midget adversary was the Cambridge Hawks U17 Midget A team. The Lighting came out on fire and jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead on goals by Danny Sirois from Matt Kugler, Chris Miracle from Kugler and Jason Wargny from Cameron White and D. J. Witherspoon.

With a three goal lead at the end of the first period, everyone was feeling good, but after the experience in Columbus everyone was going, "Oh no, don't let this happen again.". *Bang*, goal 1 for the Hawks. *Pop*, goal 2 for the Hawks. *Smash*, goal 3 for the Hawks and sure enough the Lightning was looking at a 3-3 tie. Break away after break away, save after save, the Hawks could not manage another tally and the second period ended all knotted at three as the teams left the ice for the resurface between periods. (Ed: Not that a Raleigh rink would ever consider resurfacing for midgets between the 2nd and 3rd periods.)

With the glistering new sheet of ice awaiting, the boys took the rink for the final 15 minutes of the contest. The mall was starting to fill with patrons and workers getting ready for the day. And much to everyone's surprise, this day would not be another Columbus but a new
high for the team. The Lightning struck and struck hard. Goal from Witherspoon via Wargny, goal from Adam Allington from Vova Zilberter, and goal from John Bowman via Alex Baldy and White, the Lightning found themselves again ahead by three goals, 6-3. But there is time left and the speed in which the score can change, that lead was not safe.

The intensity grew. The checks were harder. The players on both teams started skating harder and harder. Carolina was intent on winning. Cambridge was intent on winning. *Smack*, Hawks Score, 6-4. *Slam*, Hawks Score 6-5. More intensity from both teams.

Under two minutes to play and *Tweet* went the official's whistle. A Hawk player lowered his head and skated to the sin-bin. Now with a Power Play, Carolina could certainly control things to a point of finish the game. The time ticked past 1:00. The Hawk goalie raced to the bench, the extra attacker came on and for one last fleeting rush, the Hawks gave it all they had and with the final shot sailing over the net, the horn sounded and the number on the visitors side was still one bigger than the home side. The Lightning finally get into the win column against the toughest opponent yet.

The Bantams then took the ice next, while the Midgets de-geared and spent time watching their Bantams play a curfew shortened game in which they managed a 3-3 tie with the Hawks, whom they lost two the previous evening. As the Bantams headed out with their billets and the Midgets headed back to the hotel for several hours of downtime, originally planned for pond hockey, snow boarding and such; they were greeted by white fluffy stuff falling for the skies.

As the day progressed around the hotel, the players were resting and recouperating their various lower body injuries and upper body injuries that they have sustained so far. Several players are banged up, but they all want to go on.

Around 5pm, some surprise visitors dropped in: D. J.'s mom along with Alex Rivers and his Father. Alex was in the area with his team and made himself available if we needed him because of the injuries. While the players are all going to play, they voted to let Alex skate with them to fill recently vacated positions.

The Midgets headed back out to the Cambridge Center after grabbing some downtime. The competition tonight would be the Cambridge U15's which would be an A team in USA Hockey terms. This would be the best team the team would face while in Canada. In a very evenly played game, the Lightning would end up in a 2-2 tie with goals coming from Bond Danku from Mackie Hayman and D.J. Witherspoon from Cameron White. Another shoot out was played. Sean Kudrick again was the goalie between the pipes. During his last shoot out against the Canadian teams, the result was 3-0 for Guelph. This time it was different, Hayman, Witherspoon, and Jon Bowman found the back of the net. The Lightning had scored on 3 of their 4 attempts. The other team could only get two past Kudrick and when Kudrick turned away the Hawk's fourth shooter. The team was jubilant as they swarmed Kudrick and piled on top of him.

After the game was over, the parents and coaches of Cambridge took the team and parents traveling along to “Ernie's Bar and Grill”, a good old fashioned tavern. The players were treated to wings and pizza, while the adults enjoyed other food and drink. The party lasted until 1:30 where the team headed back to the hotel where they would get to sleep in late . . . checkout time, 11:00a