RIP Ben Pearson

It's with a heavy heart that this blogger posts this blog tonight, I've had a few days to think about what has happened since early Saturday morning when the Merchants defenceman passed away after battling an illness.
It's hard to fathom just how quick these things seem to happen, it was only 2 weeks earlier when I saw Ben after the Merchants home opener and he seemed like a healthy human being a week later things seemed to go down hill when he left a game against Woodstock.
It goes to show just how precious life is and you never know when your time is up, As Chad Barclay, who played last year with Pearson, summed it up best, when your a part of a team and would do anything for the better good of a team your more than a teamate, your a best friend. I would like to take it one step further and say when your a part of a team your more like family and that is the one thing you notice when you watch how the players were around each other.
I would like to invite everyone to come out to Norwich's home game Friday night which has been called Ben Pearson night, there will be a pregame ceremony where they will lift his number 7 jersey to the rafters, so come on out give some support to the Pearson family and have a chance to say good bye to Ben Pearson.

Rest in Peace Bennie

Thanks For the Ride!

The Ride ended last night for the Norwich Merchants as they lost to the Grimsby Peach Kings in triple overtime in game 6 in Grimsby. Ryan Roberts scored on a goal mouth scramble at 42:45 of overtime.
It was the third straight game to go to overtime, Norwich won Game 4 Friday 4-3, and lost Game 5 Sunday night 3-2. Norwich has nothing to hang their heads about in defeat. They gave it everything they had, the two teams were as even as you could get and as playoff series goes even though it didn't go seven games in my mind this has to go down as a classic series all six games were decided by one goal, three of them went into overtime, and the other three that didn't go to overtime were decided within the last 5 minutes of the game, It was great hockey to watch with lots of end to end action and lots of big hits.
In the end this series could have gone either way, Norwich could have won if they had got the bounces some nights but thats the way it goes. Have a great summer guys and see you in the fall.

To the overagers Captain Steve Boyd, Chad Barclay, Nate Geerlinks and Kris Krouluski thanks for the memories, the last two years as a Merchant fan will go down as my 2 favorite years since following the team 17 years ago, and the Best of Luck in your future endeavours.

Best of 3 now.

Norwich Defenceman Brett Green scored arguably the biggest goal of his career last night as Norwich won 4-3 in overtime to tie the Niagara Final at 2 games a piece, Game 5 goes Sunday night in Norwich at 7:30pm.
Grimsby opened the scoring at 6:39 of the second taking advantage of a Norwich turnover at the Grimsby blueline as Joe Young skated in on Norwich goalie Matt Coutts and beat him clean. Grimsby would make it 2-0 4 minutes later on a powerplay when Kyle Fraser fired a slapshot past Coutts. Ben Pearson would get Norwich back into the game at 12:07 of the second on the powerplay as his shot from point would beat Grimsby goalie Brad Pope.
Norwich would tie the game at 3:06 of the third when Mike Brilhante tipped a shot that squeaked it's way across the goaline, it was a shot that Pope should have stopped. Grimsby would retake the lead at the midway point of the third when Ryan Roberts turned what looked like a harmless Norwich pass in Norwich's end got just enough of the puck with his stick to put it past Coutts. Less than two minutes later Stuart Preston tied the game up for Norwich. Both teams had chances late in the third with powerplays but neither team could capitalize.
Early in the overtime Norwich almost won it when Brad Pope's clearing attempt deflected off the back of his own defenceman's leg and careemed back twoards the open net and forcing Pope to dive back across the net just getting it with his stick to keep the game tied. Both teams had a powerplay in the overtime and both goalies were up to the task coming up with the big stops. Finally at 15:07 of OT, Chad Barclay and Brett Green were able to get a 2 on 1 at the last second Barclay throws the puck across the front of the net where the puck deflected off of Green's past Pope sending Norwich players and fans into a frenzied celebration.
Norwich now has to focus on winning on home ice Sunday night and putting the pressure back onto Grimsby. Norwich will have to win one game at home if they plan on winning this series.
Like I said at the start of this writeup it's now down to a best of 3 and Norwich gets 2 of the games in thier rink, I like Norwich's chances to take this series.

Niagara Final- Game 3 Preview

Tommorow night Game 3 of the Niagara Final faces off tommorow night in Norwich at 7:30 and if it turns out anything like the first two games it should be highly entertaining. In all honesty Norwich could easily be up 2-0 in the series, they have played as well as they would have hoped and if not for a bad bounce in Game One, would be up game 2. Norwich's game plan should be the same as Sunday night, play physical, get pucks deep and get traffic in front of the net.

My Prediction is Norwich will take tommorow nights game 3-1.

Niagara West Champs!

For the fourth straight year the Norwich Merchants are Niagara West Champs after knocking off the Simcoe Storm Saturday afternoon in Simcoe 3-2. Kris Krouluski scored twice and Aaron Wirth scored the other Norwich goal. Norwich now faces Grimsby in the Niagara Final starting Friday night in Norwich starting at 8 pm. Norwich defeated Grimsby in the League Final last year winning that series in 5 games.

Last Minute Heroics

After losing in overtime Sunday night to the Simcoe Storm, the Norwich Merchants knew that if they want to win this Niagara West Division final last night was as much of a must win game as possible, knowing that they gave a less than satisfactory effort on Sunday night they came out last night with alot better effort. They were scoreless through a period of play untill Norwich's Mike Brilhante scored on a powerplay midaway thru the second period. Simcoe would tie the game on Zane Nielly's powerplay goal a minute into the third period. With overtime looming Chad Barclay played the hero by scoring with 58 seconds left in the 3rd. There was more fun in the waning seconds when Nielly was awarded a penalty shot with 2 seconds left but he was denied by Matt Coutts to seal the win for Norwich. Coutts made 30 saves in the win, while Simcoe goalie Chris Lee stopped 29 shots in the loss.

Game 4 goes Friday night in Norwich at 8 pm.

Merchants steamroll Storm to win Niagara West Final opener

Prior to last nights series opener, Simcoe forward Zane Nielly had been qouted in the Woodstock Sentinel Review slaging Norwich as not half as good as Simcoe, after last night he might be eating those words after Norwich`s 5-2 win in Norwich. Simcoe opened the scoring just over 2 minutes into the game when Jordan Paton took a nice pass and wristed it past Norwich goalie Matt McGonigle. Chad Barclay would tie the game at 9:47 of the first knocking in a loose puck past Simcoe goalie Chris Lee. Norwich outshot Simcoe 19-16 in the first period.

Norwich played a much better in the second, Kris Krouluski would put Norwich up 2-1 at the 1:40 mark of the second on a powerplay. Addison Fisher would put Norwich up 2 goals at 4:25. Norwich would make it 4-1 less than 2 minutes later when Chad Barclay banged a loose puck past Lee, Curtis Logan scored Norwich's 5th goal on a powerplay with just over a minute left in the second, however Simcoe was quick to respond as Jordan Paton would make it 5-2 on a powerplay goal with a second left in the period. Norwich outshot Simcoe 12-6 in the second period.

The third period was uneventful as neither team scored, Norwich outshot Simcoe 10-6 in the third and 41-28 for the game. Matt McGonigle stopped 26 shots while earning his 3rd win of the '10 playoffs.

Game 2 goes Sunday night in Simcoe at 7pm, Game 3 is Tuesday night in Simcoe at 7:30pm, Game 4 goes Friday night in Norwich at 8 pm.

Merchants open series with win.

After polishing the Paris Mounties off in a 4 game sweep in their opening round, the Merchants opened up the second round Friday night against their Rivals the Woodstock Renegades with a 3-2 win in Norwich. Stuart Preston scored the game winner on a Powerplay with just over 6 minutes left in the third. Norwich at times seem to have their way with the Renegades who were playing their first game in 3 weeks as Norwich outshot Woodstock 36-17. Matt Coutts got the win in goal for Norwich, Alex Gegeny toook the loss for Woodstock. Game 2 goes Saturday night in Woodstock at 7:45pm, Game 3 will go Sunday afternoon in Norwich at 2 pm.

GAME NIGHT!

GAME 35

NEW HAMBURG 15-18-2

AT

NORWICH 25-7-2

Season Series:

Sept 26 Norwich 5 at New Hamburg 4

Oct 9 New Hamburg 3 at Norwich 7

Oct 19 Norwich 9 at New Hamburg 2

Nov 14 Norwich 1 at New Hamburg 2

Dec 27 New Hamburg 4 at Norwich 2

In a game that means nothing to either team as both teams playoff seedings have been decided. Norwich won't have Ben Pearson who is still recovering from a broken jaw and Curtis Logan who is serving a one game suspension from the game in Aylmer last weekend. It should be a game where the ice time is more evened out amongst the full lineup for both teams.

It's been quite the Season

It is quite a different Norwich Merchant team than they had a year ago. This year brought in a whole new coaching staff, a new goaltending and a few new faces to replace the departures of last year. The result surprisingly the team has managed to win more games than last year and if not for Simcoe playing our of their mind most of the year would have finished first again. The outlook for the playoffs may seem the same as last year, but their is a different feel about how the playoffs will turn out for this group. First off the Goaltending isn't as good as last year, Matt Coutts is not Cody Vinnai and will not be a MVP type goalie that won't steal games like Vinnai did, although this year if Coutts can't answer the bell they do have a strong backup goalie in Matt McGonigle who has played well this year in a limited role and in some fans eyes should be the one in goal once the playoffs start.

Up front the team has been more physical than last year but haven't scored nearly at the same level as last year but shouldn't make a difference come playoff time.

Defensively they have allowed fewer goals but are not as deep on defence as last year, Once Ben Pearson gets back from injury it should help out quite a bit.

I'm not going out on a limb to make a prognostication on the Merchants playoff run but I think it's a safe bet that the Niagara West will come down to Norwich and Simcoe and will probably take seven games before a winner is decided.

Welcome to the newly named and themed blog.

I have streamlined my blogs. My Seth's thoughts page will no longer blog on The Norwich Merchants, I have now renamed this blog and will now provide coverage on the Norwich Merchants. I look forward to beable to provide comprehensive coverage of the Merchants on this site.