Utman stars in Blackhawks' 3-3 tie with Bootleggers

Posted Feb 2, 2012 By EMC News

EMC Sports - If there was ever a game you'd like to see your technician of the tangled twine (goalie), steal your team a game, last Saturday night in Winchester was that game. Spencer Utman was simply phenominal as he led the Island City Blackhawks to a well-earned 3-3 tie versus the young offensive-minded Winchester Bootleggers.

Just after the Blackhawks tied the game at 3-3 with minutes remaining in the game, Utman committed pure larceny. He outright robbed the Bootleggers of a sure goal and victory with a big save off a bang-bang play with just over 60 ticks left on the clock.

That save enabled the senior Blackhawks team to leave town with a point.

As Utman was keeping the black biscuit out of his cage, 'The Rubberman' Jason Perkins sent a missile into the piped pavillion to knot the score 3-3 with 3:46 left in the game.

"Wow, this one felt like a win for our guys. The Bootleggers would be lucky to have any skater over 25. Our guys played hard right to the end. We had our chance to steal this game as well," stated Blackhawk management after the game.

The chance management eluded to was the clear cut breakaway the usually sure-handed 'Velvet Fog' Rob Carter had early in the third period.

That sure handed Carter did open the scoring when he converted a Mike 'The Wall' Mulder's centering pass. The goal was the only one scored in the opening period but the second period was a much different story.

The baby-faced Bootleggers lit the lamp twice in the second period to gain a 2-1 lead. Travis Cauley, playing defence in this game, picked off an errant pass and sent a rocket into the net to knot the score at 2-2 after two periods.

In the third period the young lads from Winchester capitalized on a rare Blackhawks' defensive breakdown in this one to grab a 3-2 lead. That set the stage for Perkins' game tier late in the game.

"Territorially they dominated us, but we still had our fair share of opportunuities to pull this one out. Both Peter Culp and J R Ryan rang pucks off the posts and Carter's breakaway. Those go in and we're leaving here with two points and a major upset," management continued at his press conference.

The Blackhawks have not lost a game in 2012, two wins and two ties, they have only lost once in their last seven games. The Broadway Avenue gang may have finally righted their ship and appear to be on their way to salvaging that poor start.

The Blackhawks played this game short staffed, they used call up defenceman Curtis Stevenson and he played a really solid game back there. All the Hawks d-man played great in this one.

"Curtis played well for his first game with us, all our defencemen played awesome. They definitely got a workout in this game," management continued.

Recently Blackhawks' management was rumoured to be at the Memorial Centre scouting the WHL for recruits. Management confirmed this rumour to be true. He talked about watching big Joe Brouwer after he scored three goals including the overtime winner, as a possible call up.

The Blackhawks will host the Cardinal Old Timers this Saturday night at the Youth Arena, puck drops at 9 p.m.

The report on the Blackhawks and Seaway Pirates game will be available next week.