Talk of the Town ties Last Steep in town league action

Steep recovers from last week’s demise

The Last Steep returned to town league action this week recharged and ready to set the record straight after their demise last week.

Their renewed fervor was put to the test Tuesday night as they faced the Talk of the Town at Big Mine Ice Arena.
The Talk threatened early in the game with a wide-open passing attack offering up several opportunities on the Last Steep net.
Clif Dimon found Drew Walden breaking free to the Last Steep goal and as Walden lined up his shot, Mike Preston came flying in out of nowhere to take out everyone within reach, including his own goalie, to stop the shot.
Walden would respond though two minutes later, when he lined up a shot to draw the Last Steep defender and then pushed the puck through the slot to Jeff Moffett for the stuff weak side and a 1-0 Talk of the Town lead.
Gesa Michel led the Last Steep on a charge midway through the first period battling at the blue line to keep the puck in the Talk of the Town zone.
Her efforts paid off as a scramble to clear the puck away from Michel ended up on Pete Cook’s stick and Cook blasted it by Talk goalie Jay Harris to tie the game 1-1.
The strike renewed the Last Steep spirits as they dominated play from the end of the first period and on into the second period resulting in two more goals.
Cook netted his second of the night following a rebound off a Dave Daumit shot and then Daumit took a loose puck to goal to stuff it by Harris for a 3-1 Last Steep lead.
Chris Macarak, the Warren Haynes of town league hockey, will play with anyone. Tuesday night he suited up for the Talk offering unparalleled hustle in an effort to spark a Talk comeback in the second period but Steep goalie Josh Bock came up with several saves to hold the lead with one period left to play.
The Talk switched gears in the third period utilizing all areas of the ice to tie the game on goals by Walden and Chad Belyea.
The two-goal assault woke the Last Steep up from their third period slumber as Cook proceeded to fire numerous shots on the Talk net. Harris warmed up to the attack making a handful of saves. Those he didn’t make were made by the pipes until the Last Steep finally broke through as Preston netted a short-handed goal to give the lead back to the Last Steep with two minutes left to play.
The Talk responded with a shelling of their own on the Last Steep net the final two minutes. Bock was there with three huge saves in a row but the fourth time was the charm for the Talk as Lance Chetley took a pass from Walden and slipped it by Bock for the game-tying goal leaving the two teams with the bittersweet taste of a 4-4 tie.
Think, kissing your sister.