This past week Walkerton Hawks general manager Steve Barrett added a key player to the Walkerton offence.
Twenty-year-old Ryan Stroz spent the last two seasons playing in the OPJHL, collecting 73 points in 68 games. He was picked up by Barrett off of free agency after the Jan. 10 deadline.  
Stroz had yet to be in action during the start of this season as he was dropping hockey to focus solely on school.  
“Glad to be a member of the Walkerton Hawks. Can’t wait for first game Friday,” was Stroz’s reaction on Twitter, after being acquired by the Hawks.
The Hawks, meanwhile, were celebrating being back on the winning side of the scoreboard, after handing the last-place Goderich Sailors an 8-1 wolluping.
The Hawks were at home Friday in the first game of a home-and-home match with the Sailors.
The first period had a great start just over three minutes in as Adam Alexander found the scoreboard on a pass from Brad Humberstone and Matt Hill.  Alexander notched his second marker more than half way through the second period. Getting assists were Haden Campbell and Austin Russell, making it 3-0.  
After Goderich made it 3-1, Eric Lekun got onto the score sheet, scoring a goal from Andy Mitchell and Stroz – the first point for Stroz as a Walkerton Hawk.  
This would not be the only milestone for Stroz, as he recorded his first goal and multi-point game in the third period.
Dylan Bults, Mitchell and Lekun also get onto ?the scoreboard in the 8-1 victory.
The second game on Saturday was much of the same, as the Hawks won their second game 8-2.
The first period of this match was hard fought as the score went back and forth, with a Walkerton lead the result as Mitchell scored twice and Lekun scored once making the game 3-2 at the end of one.
Scoring for the Sailors ended there, and it was all Walkerton the remainder of the game, with five unanswered goals.  
Stroz started the onslaught, with Hill notching two of his own goals throughout the game. The only other goals were scored by defencemen Tanner Mighton and Adam Alexander on the powerplay.
Stroz proved to be quite effective on the top line with Mitchell and Lekun, taking the place of Drew Davidson who is at this time out indefinetly.  Stroz managed two goals and one assist in his first two games.
The Hawks are faced with much stronger competition as they wrap up their regular season this weekend, but they’re safe in first place in league standings.
Friday will see the Hawks in Hanover Friday, and closing it out on Saturday against the fourth-place Wingham Ironmen. Games are at 8:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., respectively.