Lukas Bernasiewicz
What can sometimes be unfair about sports is that it is results-based. So no matter how reasonable your effort is, your effort goes unnoticed if you lose.
That sums up what happened to the Oakville Buzz in their 12-8 loss in game three against the Toronto Beaches.
Oakville now trails the best-of-five series 2-1 and will face elimination this Tuesday on the road.
Although game three was not an awful performance by Oakville, the team took too many penalties and made more mistakes that cost the team the game.
The game started well for Oakville, as they scored the first goal and kept the score at 2-2 halfway through the first period.
But then Toronto started to go on a major offensive run that turned the tide of the game.
From the end of the first period to midway through the second, Toronto scored eight of the next nine goals, with five of their eight goals coming on the powerplay.
Toronto's run gave them a 10-3 lead.
Oakville began to turn the tide in their favour slightly with two goals before the end of the period to make the score 10-5 heading into the second intermission.
Although a five-goal comeback would have been hard, it was definitely doable.
Oakville came out of the intermission and scored three powerplay goals bringing the score to 10-8 Toronto with seven minutes left in the game.
You could feel the game shift. The Buzz players believed that they could come back and win this game.
But once again, penalties would be their downfall.
After scoring their eighth goal, Oakville took a penalty and surrendered a goal.
Oakville then took another penalty and allowed another goal, making the score 12-8 and putting the game out of reach for Oakville.
Toronto finished the game with seven of their 12 goals coming on the powerplay.
If Oakville intends to extend this series, they cannot allow that many goals while killing a penalty.
The team must stay calm and composed and take fewer penalties.
