Masters leads Royals to consecutive playoff victories
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
By Lee Griffi
Andrew Masters has Erin’s number.
The Tavistock goaltender stopped 52 of 55 shots in the team’s regular-season finale and then turned aside all 66 shots over the weekend as the Royals jumped out to a 2-0 lead in their opening-round Ontario Elite Hockey League (OEHL) series against the Outlaws.
Tavistock went into Erin on Saturday and came away with a 3-0 win. Lucas Bast’s second-period goal proved to be the game-winner before insurance markers by Mitch Atkins and Tristan Hohl. Tyler Reid chipped in with a pair of assists.
On Sunday, the Royals hosted the Outlaws and earned a 5-0 victory. Drew Gerth scored twice for the winners, while Sean Kienapple scored once and added an assist. Colin Martin and Deven Kropf added single markers.
“It was a great weekend, a great 24 hours for us, the way we bounced back. The way we played (Sunday) afternoon after a tough battle (Saturday) night was good,” said Masters following Game 2.
“The guys are doing a great job clearing bodies and we aren’t giving up many odd-man rushes.”
The Kitchener native added he’s enjoyed playing in Tavistock this season.
“There’s a small-town community feel. The whole town gets behind this team and there’s so much volunteer support. The guys have been very welcoming, and it's great to play with Mitch Atkins, one of my longtime buddies.”
Masters said despite his teammates having other commitments such as work and family, he’s been impressed with the attendance at practices.
Royals head coach Tyson Zehr said his starting goalie was a huge part of the Game 1 victory.
“He was outstanding and really set the tone for the series. He made some big saves at key moments and gave our group a lot of confidence. We were outshot and Erin had pushes, but when your goalie is calm, competitive and locked in like that, it allows the rest of the team to settle in and play the right way in front of him.”
Game 2 was a more dominating performance for the Royals, something Zehr attributed to his team’s pace.
“It was better right from puck drop. If you were in the building, you could feel it right away. The first 10 minutes were fast, hard, playoff hockey – physical, intense and high-paced. I thought we handled that early push well, and once we got through it, we were able to establish our game. We rolled our lines better, played more in the offensive zone, and that allowed us to wear them down as the game went on.”
He added the team could be playing its best hockey of the season at just the right time.
“The biggest difference is our structure and the buy-in from everyone,” Zehr said. “Guys understand their roles and are committed to playing them. Playoffs are about details, managing the puck, being hard to play against and supporting each other. Our group has really embraced that.”
Zehr said while a 2-0 lead is a great start, that’s all it is and they need two more wins.
“Erin is a strong team and we expect them to push back. Our focus is on staying disciplined, sticking to our game and getting better every shift.”
The Royals have defeated the Outlaws in all four matchups between the teams this season. Game 3 is set for Saturday in Erin at 7:30 p.m. with Game 4 scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on Sunday in Tavistock.
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