By Keith Krauskopf
HAGERSVILLE—The Hagersville Hawks travelled to Dunnville on Friday the 13th and gave the Jr. Mudcats an early Christmas present of two points.
The Hawks started the scoring 2:01 into the first period with Jarett Moriarity scoring his 16th goal of the season; Averee Sault and Luke Leblanc got the assists.
Dunnville’s Riley Smyth scored at 11:13 of the first to tie, with Brody Scott and Silas Crawford adding the assists.
Hawk Marcus Lazarevic scored an unassisted marker a few minutes later to retake the lead, but Dunnville’s Carson Bennett rounded out the scoring at the 18:47 mark with Crawford and Smyth picking up the assists.
The second period of the game opened with the two Haldimand teams tied 2-2, but then saw Dunnville doing all the scoring. Just 1:24 into the period Nick DiPietro scored his first of the season on a shorthanded goal with Brydan Gibbs and Smyth getting the assists. Then at the 12:43 mark of the period Kylar Brocklebank scored with Jacob Passmore and Smyth assisting.
The third period saw the teams score matching goals. Up first was Hawk Damon Decaire scoring a powerplay goal at the 3:38 mark with Moriarity notching the assist. Crawford scored for Dunnville at the 12:40 mark, with Scott and Smyth assisting, to keep the lead at 5-3.
Hawk Moriarity scored with three minutes left on the clock, with Zack Demille and Cole Jennings receiving the assists. Dunnville’s Scott put the final nail in the Hawks’ coffin, scoring less than a minute later with assists from Crawford and Bennett.
The Dunnville Mudcats finished with a 6-4 home ice win. Congrats to Dunnville’s Riley Smyth on a 5-point night.
On Saturday, December 14 Grimsby came to the Hawks nest, and let’s just say it wasn’t a pretty sight to behold. In the first period both the Hawks and the Peach Kings were hungry for goals but none were to be had. Shots on goal in the period were just 7-6, in favour of the Hawks.
Grimsby finally opened the scoring in the early minutes of the second on the powerplay. Then in the closing minutes of the period, Grimsby scored again, but this time on a shorthanded goal.
Hawk Brendan Sullivan scored the only goal for the home team, with Averee Sault and Zach Ebert picking up the assists, at the 18:52 mark of the second.
Grimbsy scored three more goals in a third period that was flooded with penalties for both teams, taking a decisive 5-1 win.
Hagersville travels to Grimsby on Friday, December 20 and will then play host to Dundas on Saturday, December 21. This will be the last game of the year for the Hawks.
Hawks will resume their schedule after the holidays on Saturday, January 4 when Dunnville comes to town for another battle of Haldimand. January 4 is also when the Hawks welcome all first responders that night to watch the game free of charge.
