Sean Kawalec (left) scored the overtime winner for the Dutchmen against Elmira on Tuesday night. Blair Derynck also scored for Kitchener in the 2-1 victory.

Dutchmen use overtime to top Sugar Kings

The first weeknight game of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League schedule arrived on Tuesday night in Kitchener as the Dutchmen hosted the Elmira Sugar Kings.

Kitchener struck first just five minutes into the opening period on a goal by Blair Derynck, and outshot Elmira 13-8 in the first. The second frame was a quieter period for both teams, with the Dutchmen trying to hold the lead and the Sugar Kings attempting to get any sort of pressure through to Kitchener's net. The period ended with no scoring, but 20 minutes in penalties were handed out as the game grew increasingly chippy. Elmira seemed to use the late powerplays in the second period to gain momentum in the third, as the Sugar Kings outshot Kitchener 10-7 in the third. It was their tenth and final shot of the period that finally beat Dutchies goalie Lucas Patton, as Zack Cameron buried a goal with the extra attacker at 19:31 of the third to tie the game 1-1. In the 4-on-4 overtime period, Dutchmen sniper Sean Kawalec took a pass from Tyler Harrison and scored his seventh goal of the season to end the game and give Kitchener the win, 2-1. Patton stopped 23 shots while Mat Woroniuk was strong for Elmira with 26 saves.

The Sugar Kings host Waterloo and Cambridge on Saturday and Sunday night, respectively, while Kitchener waits until Sunday afternoon to visit the first-place Siskins.

OUA Football playoffs kick off Saturday in Guelph, Ottawa

The Ontario University Athletics football postseason is finally here, beginning with two Quarter-Final matchups on Saturday, including one with local flavour. 

The University of Waterloo Warriors are making their first playoff appearance in 15 years and bring a high-powered offence to Alumni Stadium to take on the University of Guelph Gryphons. The teams' only matchup this season came just one week ago, also in Guelph, when the Gryphons edged Waterloo, 47-44 in overtime, to clinch third place in the OUA, while the Warriors dropped to the sixth seed with the loss. Waterloo QB Tre Ford enjoyed a breakout season in which he led the OUA in both passing yards per game (352.8) and touchdowns (27), while his favourite target Tyler Ternowski led the conference in receiving yards per game (144.9) and touchdowns (14). The combination was a huge factor in Waterloo returning to the playoffs and will need another big game to upset Guelph, whose defence only allowed 269.3 yards per game through the air during the regular season.

The other game on Saturday sees Carleton host McMaster in Ottawa, in a battle of the OUA's fourth- and fifth-place teams. Awaiting the winners are Western and Ottawa, who both earned byes as the conference's top two seeds. If Guelph wins on Saturday, they will visit Ottawa next weekend, while if Waterloo pulls out a victory, they will face Western in London next weekend. Both games begin at 1 p.m. this Saturday afternoon.