Photo is courtesy by FS Fotos

Dutchmen, Redhawks, Sugar Kings sweep GOJHL weekend 

Teams one through four in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League Midwestern Conference standings are separated by only two points, with the Elmira Sugar Kings and surprising Cambridge Redhawks leading the pack. The season is only a dozen games old, but already a group of local squads are solidifying themselves as contenders. 

On Friday night, the Kitchener Dutchmen continued their hot start to October with a 4-1 triumph in Brampton over the Bombers. Captain Sean Kawalec led the offense with a goal and two assists, while Kyle Kennery, Mitch Lee, and Braeden Bowman each chipped in with two points. Lucas Patton was strong in goal for Kitchener, stopping 32 of 33 shots. In Elmira, the Sugar Kings shut out their perennial rivals, the Stratford Warriors, 2-0. Hunter Dubecki scored both goals for Elmira and Greg Brassard, enjoying a solid first season with the Sugar Kings, stopped 21 shots for the shutout. Also on Friday night, Listowel survived a scare from last-place Brantford as the Cyclones escaped with a 2-1 win in double overtime. Jonah White opened the scoring for Listowel and Brendan Koops ended the game with an unassisted tally in the 3-on-3 period. Evan Morrison stopped 26 shots in the win, including all five he faced in overtime. 

The Dutchmen were victorious again on Saturday, doubling up the Brantford Bandits, 6-3. Kawalec had two assists, and Cam Allen scored twice for Kitchener in the win. After the first period finished in a 1-1 tie, the Dutchies exploded for four goals in the second frame to break the game open and earn their seventh win of the year. The Waterloo Siskins were unable to continue their encouraging play from last weekend, falling in Cambridge to the Redhawks, 8-3. Jack McTiernan and Nolan Foster led the Redhawks with four points each, and Reagan Giles wasn’t tested much in goal, stopping 14 of 17 shots. Brock Krulicki scored twice for Waterloo and Austin Adamic added another, but the Siskins struggled to come up with offense in this game. Former Redhawk Tanner Wickware stopped 34 of 42 shots in goal for Waterloo. 

Zach Allan got the start in net for the Siskins on Sunday afternoon with Brampton in town, and although he fared well, the Siskins couldn’t help him out. Allan stopped 25 shots, but the one that got past him proved to be the game-winner, as the Bombers won 1-0. Brandan Fisher scored the lone goal of the game five minutes into the third period. The Redhawks took care of business at home again, this time disposing of Brantford, 5-1. Foster had a goal and two assists, and Payton McLeish scored twice for Cambridge, while Mike Leach stopped 20 shots for the win. The game of the weekend perhaps was in Elmira on Sunday night with the Sugar Kings hosting the Warriors. Stratford jumped out to a 3-0 lead with three goals in the first five minutes of the second period, but Elmira cut the deficit to one with two goals of their own. Anthony Azzano then tied the game with the extra attacked out for Elmira with just over two minutes to play in the third. The comeback would be completed in overtime, as Mason McMahon scored to give the Sugar Kings the win with eight seconds left in OT. Greg Brassard held on for the win stopping 20 shots, while Tyler Parr was strong in a losing effort, stopping 26. 

The Dutchmen will look to continue their winning ways and fend off Thanksgiving fatigue tonight as they host the Listowel Cyclones at Kinsmen Arena. Puck drop is slated for 7:00 pm.