The Saugeen Shores Winterhawks took a much-needed win in convincing fashion on Saturday night in Lucknow.
The Winterhawks directed more than 60 shots on goal and were able to secure a comfortable 9-2 win over the hometown Lancers.
The team welcomed forward Trent Hawke back into the lineup after a training camp injury and the talented forward responded with a four point night, including a hat-trick.
The Winterhawks started out much like they did 24-hours earlier in Elora, directing plenty of shots on the Lancers goal, but unable to find the back of the net.
Lucknow opened the scoring at 13:38 of the 1st, when Tanner Simpson beat Winterhawks starting netminder Eric Peicheff.
The visitors responded quickly, as Andy Mitchell evened things up at 16:31, with Mike Rocca and Matt Shields assisting.
Jamie Shoemaker would notch his first career senior hockey goal 49-seconds later to put the Winterhawks ahead, with assists to Hawke and James McHaig.
The Winterhawks continued to pulverize the Lancers net, but Ben Dorscht was valiant in the face of the shooting gallery.
Captain Trevor Smith would put his squad up 3-1 at 7:23 of the 2nd, with assists to Curtis Johnston and Miles MacLean.
Hawke would net his first of the season on the power play at 11:06, with assists to Smith and Rocca, making it 4-1, a score that would hold up through 40 minutes.
The Winterhawks continued the pressure into the 3rd period, as Adam Little made it 5-1 at 4:53, with assists to Johnston and MacLean.
Lucknow would answer back on the power play 38-seconds later, with Chase Chapman scoring for the home team, making it 5-2, but that’s as close as the Lancers would get.
Chapman’s night would end minutes later, as the Lucknow captain would be shown the gate, taking a five-minute cross-checking major.
Hawke would net his second of the night on the ensuing power play, with Johnston and MacLean assisting yet again.
Blake Underwood would make it 7-2 at 17:55, with assists to Johnston and MacLean, the fourth assists on the night for each of the duo.
Hawke would complete the hat-trick on the power play 32-seconds later, with assists to Shoemaker and Chris King.
Shields capped off the scoring at 19:40, with Shoemaker picking up the assist and his third point of the night.
After four games on the road, the Winterhawks return home on Friday night, November 9th, with an 8:30 p.m. clash with the three-time defending champion Clinton Radars.
The Winterhawks will be wearing special Remembrance Day third jerseys during the game, which will be auctioned off that night, with proceeds going to the Royal Canadian Legion – Branch 155 Southampton.
Hawks Come Up Short in Shootout
Curtis Johnston scored late, but the dreaded shootout got the best of the Winterhawks on Friday night in Elora.
The Winterhawks and Elora Rocks battled scoreless for more than 40 minutes, with Jeff Flagler putting on an outstanding performance in the Hawks net.
Elora would go ahead just past the six-minute mark of the 3rd, but Johnston was able to tie things up with less than three minutes left in regulation, with Matt Shields and Josh Deyell assisting.
Five minutes of 4-on-4 overtime solved nothing, where it went to the skills competition, with Elora coming out on top for a 2-1 final.
