Jr. C hockey fans filled all available parking spaces within blocks of the Hagersville Arena Saturday night for Game No. 7 of the Bloomfield Divisional playoff series. Inside it was even more crowded as fans from Dunnville and Hagersville converged to cheer their hometown heroes to victory.
Despite pretty well everything going their way, the Hagersville Hawks were eliminated in a 2-1 nail biter. Hagersville outshot the Dunnville Mudcats 42-20, had four unfruitful powerplay opportunities, and generally carried the game.
The difference was Jesse Schoeman in the Mudcats’ net who turned away 41 shots for the all-important win. In a fast first period, the Mudcats capitalized on a goalie interference call against Jacob Harrison with a powerplay goal at 17:28 of the first period.
Zach Carr evened the score at the halfway point of the second period with an unassisted marker. Early in the third period Mark Top scored what would eventually become the game winner at 3:39.
There was lots of time to get that goal back but Schoeman and his defense closed the door the rest of the way despite several great scoring opportunities and a “head contact” minor and misconduct against Dunnville’s Aaron Krajcir at 15:14.
Stephen Tierney had less work at the other end of the ice facing only 20 shots, but two of them eluded him.
Elsewhere post-season action saw the Grimsby Peach Kings sweep the Simcoe Storm, and the Glanbrook Regals eliminate Niagara four games to one and Dundas moving past the Port Dover Sailors in six games. The divisional winners will face off against the winners of the Doherty division where the Paris Mounties are still alive.
