Ambroffi’s plan comes together in 2-0 win over Bulldogs
On the 1980s TV show “The A Team,” Col. John “Hannibal” Smith used to love it when a plan came together.
After a 2-0 victory over McFetridge Bulldogs Mite #1 in Chicago on Sunday afternoon, Coach Bob Ambroffi could well be saying the same thing regarding Jaguar Mite #2. The win, the Jaguar’s first of the regular season, moved the team to 1-2 in the White Tier of the Silver B level of the Northern Illinois Hockey League.
All three facets of the game – offense, defense and goaltending -- clicked simultaneously, as the Jaguars jumped out to their first lead of the regular season and held off the Bulldogs with strong defensive play and dominant goaltending by Luke Brzezinski. The shutout, in which he tallied 21 saves, was the second on the season for Brzezinski, who also held Peoria #1 scoreless during NIHL seeding-round play.
Sunday’s win came on the heels of a 4-1 loss Saturday on Inwood ice to the Midwest Maniax, the Jaguar’s second loss to the Maniax in a home-and-home series to open the regular season.
While the defense had also had a strong outing on Saturday, and the team, according to Ambroffi, had been repeatedly commended for its outstanding positioning, the plan fell short in that Mite #2 failed to generate the necessary pressure on the Maniax goalie – putting only nine shots on goal in the contest.
That was a deficiency the Jaguars corrected quickly on Sunday, putting early pressure on the Bulldog’s goalie with 10 first-period shots, and avoiding giving up a goal in the opening minutes of play as it had done in its four previous games. The barrage of shots led to the first goal of the game with just :28 to play in the opening stanza as Trevor Hudak found the back of the net following a scramble at the feet of Bulldog goaltender Brendan Summerhill.
One day earlier, Hudak had the only goal for the Jaguars in the loss to the Maniax, when he converted a Blake Brenczewski assist with 4:15 to play in the opening period.
On Sunday, the Jaguars held onto their tenuous one-goal lead throughout the entire second period. They finally put some breathing room between themselves and the Bulldogs at the 7:57 mark of the third period, when Ryan Louthan recorded an unassisted goal to put the Jaguars up 2-0.
From that point on, the Jaguars knuckled down on defense, killing off a penalty and then continuing to hold off the Bulldogs until the clock ticked away despite the home team having pulled its goaltender in favor of an extra skater for the final minutes of the contest.
Like the Maniax, whom the Jaguars played twice in one week, the Bulldogs will be awaiting the Jaguars for a second time in seven days when they meet on Saturday, Nov. 26, in Johnny’s Icehouse 14th annual Turkey Tournament. The two teams play at Johnny’s West at 3 p.m. that day.
The Jaguars open play in the tournament on Friday, Nov. 25, with a 9:10 a.m. game at Johnny’s East against the Florida Honey Badgers. They also will take on the Chicago Jets Mite #1 team at 9:10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 26, at Johnny’s West.
The tournament will conclude on Sunday, Nov. 27, with the Jaguars playing in either the 8 a.m. consolation game or the 9:10 a.m. championship game at Johnny’s West.
Mite #2’s next NIHL game will be against Chicago Jets Mite #1 at Inwood in Joliet at 4:05 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3.
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