The first place Walkerton Hawks tallied two more wins over the weekend, giving the team a season-best six-game winning streak.
On Friday night The Hawks played host to the Goderich Sailors, taking an early lead and holding it throughout the game, despite the best efforts of Goderich goalie Sheldon Reid.
Reid made 43 stops in the losing effort as the Sailors fell to The Hawks 5-2.
Kevin Quincey scored a power play marker and Justin Wakewich added another goal to put Walkerton up two before the end of the first period. Tanner Shaklat, Greg Wardell, and David Jones earned assists.
In the second The Sailors picked up a number of penalties, but Reid shut the door on The Hawks again and again. It wasn’t until 12:51 of the second that Adam Alexander, on a two-man advantage, buried what would go on to be the game winner.
Walkerton picked up their first penalty at 17:21 in the second frame, and it proved costly as six seconds later?Ben Sloetjes put in his team’s first of the night.
Goderich got three power play opportunities during the game while Walkerton saw a man advantage nine times, managing to convert three times.
“Discipline will win in this league,” said Hawks head coach and GM Steve Barrett,?“We’ve got a big team, we can play a physical game and hand out punishment, but, we’ve got to remember to keep emotions in check and stress discipline in order to go out and get two points.”
Wardell started off the third with a goal, assisted by Shaklat and Carl Andrews. At 8:48, Shaklat netted Walkerton’s third power play goal, assisted by Wardell and Rob Brennan.
Goderich struck again midway through the period, but that was the last one allowed by Dan Trombley, who made 23 saves in the 5-2 win.
Barrett credited Goderich’s goalie for keeping his team in the game.
“Sheldon Reid absolutely stood on his head,” he said, “He gave them a chance to win and kept it close.”
The next night The Hawks travelled to Mitchell for a 7:15 faceoff.
After losing momentum in a goal-filled second period, Walkerton bounced back in the third to head home with a 5-4 win.
In the first period, Mitchell’s JJ Sparling slipped one past keeper Clayton Fritsch for the first goal of the game.
At 16:29 Wardell answered back, with helpers going to Brennan and Trevor Smith.
Starting the second period on the man advantage, Walkerton’s Tyler Allen put up a quick marker and, building off that momentum, James McHaig buried a goal of his own two minutes later. Assists went to Brennan and Matt Rostek.
Leading 3-1, things seemed to be going Walkerton’s way when, following an elbowing penalty by Smith, Mitchell put in a power play tally of their own.
The energy had clearly shifted as, in less than five minutes, Mitchell scored twice more to take a 4-3 lead.
“There were definitely momentum changes. We got two quick ones and then let our guard down. Mitchell plays very well at home and they scored three in a matter of four or five minutes,” said Barrett, “We had a chat at the end of the period about the importance of winning for staying in first place.”
Allen, Walkerton’s top scorer, got on a roll in the third; scoring twice to finish off a hat trick and put his team back in the lead. Wakewich, Smith, and Steve Collins assisted.
Allen’s game winner, assisted by Smith, came at 19:26.
Barrett said he had been unaware the win represented their longest winning streak of the season
“I had no idea until, halfway home from Mitchell, (assistant GM) Jon Biesenthal mentioned it,” he said, “After Christmas the real seasons starts. Every team in the league is stressing reaching their full potential for the playoffs. Hopfully we can keep this thing going.”
Friday’s game was also a fundraising night for The Walkerton & District Health Services Foundation. More than $1,300 was raised from donations made at the door (free admission with donation) and a 50/50 raffle.