Saugeen Shores Winterhawks

Elora takes a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven north division final series with a 5-1 win over the ‘Hawks Saturday at the Plex. Brent MacDermid opened the scoring for the Winterhawks but Elora responded with three consecutive powerplay goals and then a pair of even strength goals to cement the Rocks win. Game 3 is next Friday in Elora.

Elora scores about eight minutes into overtime.

Darryl McKinnon scored in the third but the Rocks tied it 4-4 and Game 1 is headed went into overtime. It was 3-3 after two as the ‘Hawks scored two quick second period goals by Jason Hutchinson and Brent MacDermid but Elora responded with a late power play goal to tie it up.

In the first, Tim Hammell scored a power play goal for the ‘Hawks but Elora scored a pair in Game 1 of the best-of-seven North Division Final.

Game 1 - In Elora, Friday, March 5^th at 8:30 p.m.

Game 2 - In Port Elgin, Saturday, March 6^th at 8:30 p.m.

Game 3 - In Elora, Friday, March 12^th, at 8:30 p.m.

Game 4 - In Port Elgin, Saturday, March 13^th, at 8:30 p.m.

Game 5 - In Elora, Friday, March 19^th, at 8:30 p.m.

Game 6 - In Port Elgin, Saturday, March 20^th, at 8:30 p.m.

Game 7 - In Elora, Sunday, March 21, at 7:30 p.m. 

The Winterhawks take the game 7-5 with an empty-netter and the series 4-1.

Where else would you rather be on a Saturday night than in Dundalk?

 Due to a scheduling conflict, the Shelburne Muskies were forced to play game five in Dundalk.  With both teams being used to large ice surfaces, there was no real home advantage to be had.

Shelburne opened the scoring at the three minute mark of the first period, when a turn-over at the blue line allowed Shelburne to walk in and take the lead.  Saugeen then tied the period, when they scored the first of three power-play goals.  Curtis Johnston tied the game up when he converted a nice pass from line mate Shawn Walker.  Not to be outdone, Shelburne then forced another turnover, and capitalized at the six minute mark.  Saugeen, as they have done all year, fought back and Jason Hutchinson was able to tie the game before the first period came to an end.  Craig Johnston and Greg Thede earned the assists.

The second period, which usually is their downfall, belonged to the Hawks.  Brent MacDermid scored another “seeing-eye” goal when he fired the puck from the corner, and bounced it off the inside leg of the Shelburne goalie.  Darryl McKinnon earned the assist.  Saugeen’s  power-play then  struck again, when Ryan Fry drove hard to the net, and was able to tip in a Greg Thede shot from the point.  Nick Quaid earned the other assist.

Score at the end of two – Hawks 4 – Shelburne 2

Sensing the end, Shelburne came out hard, and scored two goals – one on the power-play.  Then, big Chad Little converted a nice pass from Ryan Fry and “blew” one over the glove hand of the Shelburne goalie.  Saugeen went ahead again by two goals, when Tim Hammell completed a nice passing play from Greg Thede.  This was another power-play goal for the Hawks.

Not to be outdone, Shelburne brought the game to within one goal when they managed another power-play goal of their own.  With time winding down, Tim Hammell was able to fight his way out of the neutral zone, and put the game out of reach with an empty net goal.  Jeff Young earned the assist.

The Hawks will now face their old nemesis – the Elora Rocks.  Game times are not yet available.

The Saugeen Shores Winterhawks made life a little hard on themselves as they allowed Shelburne to take a 3-1 lead going into the third period before storming back with four unanswered goals to win the game 5 – 3, and to take a commanding 3 – 1 lead in the series.

Brent MacDermid opened the scoring at the twelve minute mark of the first period when he roofed a beautiful shot over the shoulder of the Muskie goalie.  Darryl McKinnon and Nick Quaid earned the assists.  Shelburne pulled even with less than two minutes to go, when Zac Duerden floated a shot on the Hawks net, that bounced off the webbing of goalie Jeremy Beatty’s glove, and trickled into the net.

The second period saw Shelburne score two goals to take a 3 -1 lead.  The first was on the powerplay, and the second was at the end of a Shelburne penalty.  The Shelburne player came out of the penalty box and beat the Saugeen defence.

The third period started off slow, but the Hawks kept gaining momentum.  They established their forecheck, and began to cycle the puck down low.  Tyler Smith started the comeback when he placed a perfect shot into the corner of the net, past a screened Shelburne goalie.  Brent MacDermid and Darryl McKinnon earned the assists.

Curtis Johnston then tied the game after he and Shawn Walker force Shelburne to turn the puck over.  Johnston went in alone and buried the shot.  Walker earned the assist.  Chad Little put the Hawks ahead, when he buried the loose puck in front of the net with six minutes to go.  Saugeen  was dominating the play.  Jeff Young was able to keep the puck in at the blue line, and Ryan Dudgeon took the original shot, before Little buried it.

Finally with the net empty, Dudgeon did what he does best and was able to force a turnover.  Jason Hutchinson muscled his way into the Shelburne end before he was able to back-hand one into the open net.  Bryan Kazarian had the other assist.

The Hawks now take a commanding 3 -1 lead in the best of seven series.  Game five is Saturday night in Dundalk.  Game time Is 9:00 pm.  If a game six is necessary, it will be Sunday February 28^th at the Plex.  Game time is 1:30.

The Winterhawks notched a huge comeback win Friday night by a 5-3 score. The ‘Hawks were down 3-1 after two but stormed back to take the game and to seize control of the series by a three games to one margin. Game 5 is Saturday night in Dundalk at 9 p.m..

Just an update on the start time for Game 6 in the Winterhawks/Shelburne series on Sunday, Feb. 28 at The Plex (if necessary).  Due to the Olympic Gold Medal game, we have moved our start to 1:30 p.m. to avoid a conflict and have our fans home in time to watch the game.

Curtis Johnston scored a pair, including one on a power play, while Darryl McKinnon, Chad Little and Ryan Dudgeon (shorthanded) added singles to make the final 5-3 for the Winterhawks giving the ‘Hawks a 2-1 series lead.The ‘Hawks got up by two in the first period and added three more in the second before Shelburne added one late in the second.  The Muskies battled back with two more in the third but that was it.Game 4 is Friday night at The Plex. Game time is 8:30 p.m.

Complete Game Summary

The Saugeen Shores Winterhawks travelled to Shelburne on Saturday night hoping to continue the dominating performance they displayed on Friday night, and any Hawks fans who travelled to Fishtown were not disappointed.

Credit must be given to the players for their re-discovery of the age old tradition of shut down defence.  They have been giving up very few quality scoring opportunities, and when they do, goalie Jeremy Beatty is there to close the door.

Saturday nights’  game started off with a lot of intensity.  Both teams playing the dump and chase method of trying to feel out the others defence. 

Saugeen scored first when Muskie player Matt Lougheed took a penalty for a vicious charge.  The Hawks powerplay then went to work.  The Hawks moved the puck around effortlessly, and finally Shawn Walker , on a nice pass from Curtis Johnston put the Hawks on the score sheet.

One of the nicest plays of the game occurred at the three minute mark when Brent MacDermid slipped around three Muskie players.  As he tried to tuck it in on the wrap around, Darryl McKinnon came charging in to bury the rebound and put the Hawks up by two at the end of the first period.

Walker and Johnston were not done yet as they scored just three minutes into the second period.  Bryan Kazarian got the other assist.

Greg Thede then started a rush from his own end and gained the Muskie blue-line.  He passed it off to Ryan Dudgeon who found a wide open Bryan Kazarian in front of the net.  Kazarian fired  a shot at the Shelburne goalie, but before he could cover the puck, big Chad Little came around the net to pot his first of the game.

Things then got a little interesting, as Shelburne was awarded a penalty shot when Tyler Smith brought down a Muskie player as he went to the net.  If anybody saw the Canada-Switzerland shoot-out the other night, goalie Jeremy Beatty looked a lot like Martin Brodeur.  The Shelburne player tried to deke Beatty to his left, but as awkward as it looked, Beatty stoned him.

Shelburne was able to break the goose-egg at the six minute mark while on their powerplay.

The third period saw Shelburne return to their “goony” ways, as both teams became more physical.  Ryan Dudgeon sealed the win at the seven minute mark when Bryan Kazarian cleared the puck on the Shelburne powerplay, and Dudgeon was able to tip it past the Shelburne defence and go in alone on a breakaway.  There was no mistaking Dudgeon’s intentions as he blew a snapshot by  Senay.

Shelburne managed two more goals, but it was not enough.

Shelburne tried to man-handle the Hawks in the final minutes, but Ryan Fry put an end to all of that as he “schooled” a Muskie player who tried to take some liberties.

The Hawks next face the Muskies Friday night at 8:30 at the Plex

Scoring

1.        Curtis Johnston from Shawn Walker    PP

2.        Darryl McKinnon from Brent MacDermid

3.       Curtis Johnston from Bryan Kazarian and Shawn Walker

4.       Chad Little from Ryan Dudgeon and Bryan Kazarian

5.       Ryan Dudgeon from Bryan Kazarian   SH

The Saugeen Shores Winterhawks evened their best-of-seven series 1-1 with a 5-2 win over the Shelburne Muskies in front of a packed house in Saugeen Shores Friday night.Brent MacDermid notched the hat trick with Darryl McKinnon and Bryan Kazarian chipping in singles. Tyler Smith earned Crabby Joe’s Player of the Game honours with three assists and a solid game on defence.Game 3 is Saturday night in Shelburne.

The Saugeen Shores Winterhawks travelled to Shelburne Saturday night to take on the Muskies in game one of there best of seven.

Coming off an emotional five game series, that saw the Hawks win game five in overtime and then shut out the Lancers in the next two games, it would be interesting to see what kind of effort the Hawks would put out in this game.

The first period saw end to end action with both goalies making several spectacular saves.  The Hawks had several excellent scoring chances, put failed to beat Muskie goalie – Rob Senay.  The period ended in a draw.

Period two, which has traditionally been the Hawks Achilles Ankle, lived up to its reputation.  With the face-off in the Hawks end to the left of goalie Jeremy Beatty, the Muskies won the draw clean.  The shot from the point wasn’t dangerous, but just before it reached the net, #26 of the Muskies got his stick on it, and totally changed the trajectory of the shot, and it ended up on the net.  The Hawks kept pressing, and were rewarded with a power-play goal at the eight minute mark.  Bryan Kazarian ( who had another strong game ) started the play down low in the Shelburne end.  As he drove to the net, Senay was able to stop the first shot, but Shawn Walker was there to bang in the rebound.  Not to be outdone, Shelburne replied back less than thirty seconds later, when they were able to split the defence and blew a slapshot past Beatty.

Shelburne was then content to try and weather the Winterhawk onslaught in the third period.  Time and time again, the Hawks challenged Senay, but he was equal to the task.  The the unimaginable happened.  On a helpless on on four, Muskie defenceman Matt Lougheed took a shot from the corner.  It hit Beatty high in the shoulder and then took a strange bounce to land on his back and trickle into the net.  The Hawks kept pressing and at the nine minute mark were rewarded with another powerplay.  Byan Kazarian pulled the hawks to within one, when he buried another rebound on a shot by Nick Quaid.  Chad Little earned the assist.

With time going down, and the face-off in the Shelburne end, and our net empty, the hawks made one last ditch attempt to tie the game.  As the first shot was deflected into the corner, Shelburne was able to clear the zone and bury the puck into the empty net.  Final score —  Shelburne 4 – Saugeen 2.

Game two goes this Friday night at 8:30 at the Plex.