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The Ayr Centennials opened the 2012 portion of their season at full throttle. Last Thursday Jan. 5th the 200 plus fans in attendance were treated to an impressive offensive display to start off the new year as long time rivals the St. George Dukes came to town.

   Ayr opened the scoring just 58 seconds into the first period when Andrew Richard curled out of the corner and found the five hole with a shot from the dot. Ayr gained a two goal spread with 1:26 remaining in the first. Great puck movement on the power play saw Adam Brubacher from the left point find Jordan Eby at the bottom of the circle. Eby went cross ice to Tyler Gauthier in the right circle and Tyler blasted in his 18th of the year.

   Following the first period the crowd cheered on the future Cens as the Ayr Minor Hockey Junior I.P.s played an eight minute exhibition game.

   Patrick MacNeil was on hand to draw the winning ticket in the Cens European Extravaganza. Congratulations to Dianne Cerjak who won with a ticket purchase from her grandson Jordan Witt. A huge thank you to Patrick for his continuing support of the Centennials and to all those who purchased tickets.

   The Cens picked up in the second were they had left off in the first. They won the races for loose pucks, won the battles on the boards and finished all their checks. Midway through the second Ayr’s P.K. came up big killing a 55 second 5 on 3. Then with 7:17 left in the frame put their own power play to work. Scott Sipple found Andrew Richard at the side of the net. Andrew sent a pass through the blue ice to Eby waiting to find top corner on the far side. The power play connected again with 3:37 left in the second. Brubacher kept a clearing attempt in at the left point then fed it to Logan Beechey in the corner. Beech held it until he saw Gauthier jumping in off the right point and his pass was one timed over the Duke goalie’s glove hand.

   Up 4-0 going into the third the Centennials played as they had from the opening face off. Like they were down by a goal with a minute remaining in the game. 3:53 into the frame Eby won the draw and fed it straight to Drew Tapsell alone at the top of the crease. Taps backhanded it in for his league leading 27th goal of the year. Jon Witt and Eric Schuster won battles in the corner to send Alex Richard out of the corner using his speed to complete a wrap around.  Ayr’s final goal came with 2:48 as Cody Tapsell found Schuster at the top of the right circle. A bullet from Eric made it 7-0. Lee Doherty was solid in the Cens net and 1:26 away from the Cens first shut out of the season when a Dukes shot from the line rang in off the post making the final Ayr 7 St. George 1

      Friday the Cens traveled to Tavistock to take on the Braves. This turned out to be a high flying wide open run and gun game that saw Tavi draw first blood with 4:40 remaining in the first. A power play point shot found its way through a screen in front.

   Tavi made it 2-0 with a short handed break away 4:45 into the second but Ayr kept coming. 6:53 in the Cens got on the board. Alex Bogojevski kept a clearing attempt in at the right point then fed it to Gauthier at the top of the circle. Goat headed into the corner but dropped the puck to Eby who blasted one from the dot that over powered Tavi keeper Luke Zehr. The Cens drew even with 10:35 left in the second after Declan Kaster deked through a crowd in front before dishing it off to Drew Tapsell at the wide open back door.

   The third period was scoreless thanks to spectacular goaltending. Seven minutes in a Tavi 3 on 0 was foiled as Jordan Witt made the initial save then also stopped the shot from the rebound. A minute later another break for the Braves was denied by Witt. Tavi must have taken a play out of Thamesford’s play book as the stretch pass (minor hockey players call them cherry pickers) created another clear cut break away with five minutes remaining. Witt stood his ground and forced the game to over time.
  54 seconds into the fourth frame a Tavi forward split the Ayr D and made the final 3-2 for Tavi.

   The Cens picked up three of a possible four points and sit three points behind the Dukes who hold fourth spot.(Cens have a game in hand) Better news for Cens fans is the intensity they showed in the last two games. Just nine games remain in the regular season with five of these being at home.(8-4-0 at home) so check out some exciting Jr. Hockey action right here at home . This Thursday Jan. 12th the Cens will be hosting the Norfolk Rebels, 7:30 at the N.D.C.C.