The Great Escape

Titan apply late pressure, but Canton icers hold on for dramatic 4-3 win

Dec. 3, 2009, 11:59 a.m.

  Canton's Jordan Smith may not have scored a game-winning goal during the final minute of the Chiefs' 4-3 victory over Southgate Anderson Wednesday night.

  But the junior very possibly saved three game-tying efforts.

  "With about 15 seconds left, Jordan won the face-off on the side boards then blocked three consecutive shots to end the game," noted Canton coach Jeremy Majszak, whose team improved to 2-2.

  The Chiefs' effort made a winner out of goalie Spencer Craig, who stopped 25 shots.

  "I really liked how Spencer stepped up and shot 'em down in the final minutes," Majszak added. "He made some key saves to preserve the lead."

  Canton's scored the only first-period goal when AJ Rosales lit the lamp off a rebound shot by Riley Hoernschmeyer.

  Anderson scored early in the second period to knot the game at 1-1, but the Chiefs answered a short time later when Josh Dickson delivered a low slap shot into the back of the net seconds after Smith had won a face-off.

  "The goalie never saw the puck through the screen set by Sean Murphy," Majszak said.

  The goal was Dickson's first goal as a Chief.

  Three minutes later, Rosales cushioned the Chiefs' lead when he whistled a well-struck back-hander over the net-minder's blocker to make it 3-1. Hoernschmeyer assisted.

  Canton's final goal unfolded with 10 minutes left in the game when Taylor Baker and Rosales created a two-on-one that the lone Titan defenseman played perfectly, forcing Baker to take an outside shot. However, the rebound went to Hoernschemeyer, who banged home the puck through the open back door.

  The Chiefs stymied an Anderson six-on-four attack during the final 90 seconds to pull out the win.