On Saturday, December 19 the Rockford Rams squared off against Sault Ste. Marie in the Big Rapids Holiday Tournament championship game. The game featured two of the top teams in the state. Heading into the game the Rams were ranked 6th at the Division 1 level and Sault Ste. Marie held the #9 spot at the Division 3 level. The game lived up to the pre-game hype.

Both squads battled hard in the opening session, but neither team could push the puck past the opposing netminder.

The second period opened with both teams again getting chances, but still no goals. Until at the seven minute mark when Sault Ste. Marie tallied the first goal of the game. Six minutes later the Soo struck again to make it 2-0. The Rams finally got on the board almost exactly one minute later when Connor Foss put the puck in the back of the net (assisted by Matt Baker). The second period ended with Rockford trailing 2-1.

The third period was another hard fought battle with both  goaltenders standing tall. Still trailing 2-1 with just over 2 minutes to go in the final period the Rams took an untimely bench minor for too many men on the ice. With a man down the Rockford coaches gambled and pulled the goalie to even up the skaters. Halfway through the penalty kill the Rams earned a faceoff in the offensive zone. Adam Brayton won the draw, the puck moved to Foss, and he fired it past the Sault Ste. Marie goalie to knot the game up at 2-2. Rockford successfully killed off the rest of the penalty and regulation ended with the score 2-2.

After a short break the game moved into the first sudden death overtime period. Both teams had quality chances early in OT. Both goalies continued to turn the puck away. At the 3 minute mark of the first overtime session Brandon Schwandt skated the puck into the offensive zone for the Rams. He fired the puck wide. Foss picked up the loose puck and was denied on the wrap-around attempt. Brayton skated in and fired the rebound at the Sault Ste. Marie goalie and the puck squirted through his pads and just over the goal line. The comeback was complete. Rockford had defeated the Soo 3-2 in overtime. Matthew Hill was phenomenal in net, recording the win for the Rams.

“For the first time this season, the team faced adversity and I’m pleased with how we responded,” said Rockford Head Coach Ed VanPortFliet. “We battled from behind in both games and never let our emotions take over. We played with poise, confidence and discipline. I’m proud of the team and the effort they gave us.”

Rockford is 9-0-0 on the season overall (2-0-0 in OK Tier 1 league play). The Rams are off the week of Christmas and then back at Griff’s Ice House on Wednesday, December 30 for an OK Conference Tier 1 tilt against Forest Hills Central at 8pm