HAGERSVILLE – The Hagersville Hawks split weekend games with a loss to the Port Dover Sailors 5-4, and a 3-2 win over the Simcoe Storm to fall back into a fourth place tie with Glanbrook in the Niagara District Jr. C.
Sunday, in Simcoe, Matt Lemasurier got the Hawks off on a good note to make it a 1-0 game at 13:30, but they let it go with only 22 seconds left in the period when Simcoe’s Dakota Culbert took advantage of a powerplay opportunity created when Hagersville’s Dan Pugliese was penalized for slashing late in the period.
Connor McKay gave the Storm the lead at 7:51 of the second period, again on a powerplay.
The Hawks stormed back in the third when Mitch Green evened the score at 5:40, assisted by Luke Rimac and Cole Martin. Martin scored the game winner at 16:02, assisted by Green.
The night before, in Hagersville, the Hawks could not overcome a three goal deficit created by a second period breakdown by the Hawks.
Dan Mederios scored at 2:33 and Matt Rimac’s goal at 19:38 gave the Hawks a 2-0 first period lead, but with only one second remaining, Port Dover cut that lead in half with a second powerplay goal. That would come back to haunt them later.
The Sailors scored the first four goals of the second period with Michael Almas (2G), Michael Boateng and Colin Montour doing the honours to build up a 6-1 lead.
Hawks’ Jacob Bianchi scored a late period goal for Hagersville on a powerplay at 19:02. Mederios accounted for the only goal of the third period at 2:36, but the Sailors goaltender, Mike Caluori, denied the Hawks’ comeback attempt despite facing 20 Hagersville shots in the period and 67 in the game.
This coming Thursday, Jan. 22nd, the Hawks fly into Niagara for the first leg of a home-and-home series with the Riverhawks, which continues Saturday night in Hagersville.
