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Trappers goalie Colton Point, a 14th round pick of the Erie Otters in 2014, was the reason for the Trappers Sunday afternoon win. PHOTO BY CHRIS DAWSON.
Connor McDavid and the Erie Otters are coming to town on Sunday but right now Erie Otters local prospect Colton Point is making his own amazing hockey history a week before McDavid comes to town.
The North Bay Midget AAA Trappers netminder turned away 107 shots in an epic 3-2 triple overtime victory for the local team over the Sault Ste. Marie Thunderbirds.
The win evens the best-of-five Great North Midget League final at 2-2. Game 5 will take place Tuesday back in Sault Ste. Marie.
“I just kept getting, shot after shot, after shot, after shot,” stated Point about the performance.
"Winning a game with the shot count in triple digits is almost unheard of, and for me to have accomplished that is a feat I will not forget. I sort of just got in a rhythm, and nothing seemed to break it. It was an incredible moment for sure."
Charlie Iserhoff was the overtime hero as he deflected a Lucas Nevrencan shot from the half boards past T-Birds netminder Joey Roberts for the game winner.
The epic performance appeared to be spoiled early in the third overtime when the Soo tipped a shot past Point and the T-Birds celebration began.
However, the officials huddled and the decision was that it was deflected in off a high stick of Soo forward Matt McKay and the marathon continued.
Injured forward Jeff Jordan had to rush into the Trappers dressing room to grab Colton who had left the ice and tell him the game wasn’t over.
Trappers Dawson Meecham nearly ends the game in the second overtime period. PHOTO BY CHRIS DAWSON.
The game had a lot of drama to it even in regulation.
Late in the second period with the score tied 1-1, Jack Drinkwalter took a feed in front and slipped home a late second period shorthanded goal to give the Trappers a 2-1 lead going into the second intermission.
It stayed that way until the last minute of the third period. With the goalie pulled, Brad Thrower got the equalizer in the slot with only 33 seconds left in regulation, which set up the epic overtime. It was the Thunder Bay native's second goal of the game.
At the end of regulation, the Thunderbirds were outshooting the hosts 69-12.
Trappers head coach Mike Reise was amazed with the impressive performance of his goaltender.
“Our guys gave him a standing ovation after the game, we go as far Colton will take us,” admitted Reise, whose team was outshot 109 to 34 in the contest.
“Colton did a great job controlling his rebounds, and our guys in front of him kept most of the T-Birds shots to the outside.”
Joe Whittet got the other goal for the Trappers.
Now the Trappers, who were down 2-0 in the series, and without their top scorer Jeff Jordan, now have a chance to wrap up the series with a win in the deciding game Tuesday night.
The winner will face the New Liskeard Cubs in the Great North Midget League final starting on Friday in New Liskeard.
