HAGERSVILLE – The Hagersville Hawks split this week’s games with a 4-2 win in Niagara Falls Thursday night and a 4-3 loss to Grimsby in Hagersville, Saturday night.
The Hawks are still well out of the top three spots, sitting in 6th place in the eight team league, but are close enough to make a move on fifth place Niagara this coming week when the Dundas Blues come to town Saturday, Dec 20th. Sunday, they travel to Glanbrook to face the Rangers.
The first place Grimsby Peach Kings had the territorial edge on Saturday night, but had a difficult time beating Hagersville’s AP goalie Jonah Capriotti, who blocked 37 of 41 Grimsby shots.
Cole Martin got the scoring started for the Hawks at 8:39 from Mitch Green, but Kings’ Curtis Conrad answered two and a half minutes later to tie the game before the end of the first period.
There was no scoring in the second, but 24 seconds into the third, Jonathan Pace gave Hagersville a 2-1 lead with a short-hander from Green.
Kings’ Jeromy Hopkins evened it at 2-2 at 8:19, which Dan Mederios quickly erased at 8:52 with an assist from Travis Bell.
Grimsby’s Brennan Smith made it 3-3 at 10:43. Hagersville had their chances late, but it was Kings’ Derek Rotter who scored the game winner at 17:09. Capriotti got full marks for keeping the game close enough to win it, but the Hawks just could not get that last goal.
Thursday night, in Niagara Falls, the Hawks had an easier time taking down the Riverhawks with a score of 4-2, in Niagara.
Niagara’s Brandon McLean gave the Riverhawks the lead 35 seconds after the opening face-off. Derek Friesen responded with a powerplay goal at 11:57 from Nick Sherwood and Jacob Soloman.
John Montour sent the teams into the first intermission with Hagersville ahead 2-1, assisted by Matt Rimac and Friesen, who opened the second period with Hagersville’s third goal scored at 4:10 from Kyle Phibbs.
Niagara clawed one back at 14:29, but it would be their last gasp as Friesen secured the Hagersville win with the only goal of the third period for the 4-2 win.
