The Hawks’ forward, Marco Haw tries to send the puck across the goal crease but the Canadians’ defensemen, and former Hawk, Isaac Kelly slides low to block the pass. Kelly and the Canadians got the better of the Hawks in this game taking it 5-2. Moore photo
EMBRUN—The Winchester Hawks played two games this past weekend as they welcomed the Ottawa Jr. Canadians on Friday night and travelled to Embrun on Sunday afternoon to take on the Panthers.
Hawks 4 Panthers 3
The Winchester Hawks travelled to the Palais des Sports in Embrun on Sun., Nov. 24, to take on the Panthers in the CCHL2. The Hawks were coming off a 5-2 loss at the hands of the Ottawa Jr. Canadians and sat in fifth place in the Martin Division, while the Panthers sat in a third-place tie with the Canadians, nine points ahead of the Hawks.
The Hawks opened the scoring when their young sniper, Eric Vitale scored his 14th goal of the season at 18:03 from Danny Johnson. The Hawks took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission. The Panthers tied the game when Tristan Taillefer tipped one home for his 18th of the season from Eric Skyba and Tyler Cummins at 3:34 of the second period.
The Panthers took their first lead of the game when Jeremy Cyr scored his fourth of the season from Juno Gregoire and Maverick Labrie at 10:53. The Panthers took a two-goal lead when Skyba scored his seventh of the season on a breakaway sliding one five-hole at 16:08.
The Hawks got back to within one as Colby Byrnes-Shaw slapped one home from the blue line for his first of the season from Vitale, with just 1:49 remaining in the middle frame. The Panthers took a 3-2 lead into the second intermission.
The Hawks tied the game when Vitale scored his second of the game and 15th of the season from affiliated player, Nolan Gagnon and Kuehni at 12:26. It looked as though the game was headed to overtime but with just 24 seconds remaining in regulation, the Hawks’ Kyle Fleming ripped one home for his 10th of the season unassisted.
The Hawks were able to hold the Panthers at bay as the clock ticked down to zero, taking the game 4-3. With the win, the Hawks moved to within seven points of the Panthers and the Canadians and moved five up on the Rebels in sixth place.
The Hawks outshot the Panthers 44-31. Picking up the win in the Hawks’ goal was Cole Defazio making 28 saves and suffering the loss in the Panthers’ goal was William Nguyen making 40 saves.
Canadians 5 Hawks 2
The Winchester Hawks welcomed the Ottawa Jr. Canadians to the Joel Steele Community Centre on Fri., Nov. 22, in the CCHL2. The Hawks went into the game in fifth place in the Martin Division, five points behind the Embrun Panthers and the Canadians but were just three points up on the charging Char-Lan Rebels in sixth.
The Hawks opened the scoring when Eric Vitale scored his 13th goal of the season from Marco Haw and Kyle Fleming at 4:34 of the first period. Despite being outshot 22-18, the Hawks took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
The Canadians tied the game at 13:27 of the second period and took their first lead of the game at 14:22. The Canadians took a 2-1 lead into the second intermission. The Hawks knotted the affair at two when Kyle Kuehni scored his eighth of the season unassisted, just 48 seconds into the third period.
The Canadians retook the lead at 13:04 and took a two-goal lead at 15:34. The Canadians closed out the scoring at 17:39, taking the game 5-2. The Canadians outshot the Hawks 52-43.
Suffering the loss in the Hawks’ goal was Lucas Devries making 47 saves.
Up next
The Winchester Hawks travel to the Barbara Ann Scott Arena in Ottawa on Thurs., Nov. 28, to take on the Ottawa West Golden Knights at 7:20 p.m. and welcome the Athen Aeros to the Joel Steele Community Centre on Fri., Nov. 29, at 8:15 p.m. The Hawks then travel to the Earl Armstrong Arena in Ottawa on Tues., Dec. 3, to take on the Ottawa Jr. Canadians at 7:20 p.m.
