The Petrolia Squires can only watch as Josh Hopkins shot through the crowd hits the back of their net. Hub photo
Brent MacDermid scored twice as the Saugeen Shores Winterhawks stayed perfect in a 6-3 win over the Petrolia Squires on Friday night at The Plex.
The Winterhawks came out flying early on against the short-staffed Petrolia squad, taking a 1-0 lead at 4:42 of the 1st, as Andy Fracz finished off a passing play from Matt Shields and Greg Thede.
The pressure kept up, as Nick Quaid stepped in off the blue line and fired a pass to MacDermid at the side of the net for a tap-in just 42-seconds later to extend the lead to 2-0.
The Winterhawks put a total of 11 shots on Petrolia netminder Brandon Campbell during the opening frame, but he steadied the ship and held the score at 2-0 through 20 minutes.
An early power play in the 2nd period for the Winterhawks turned out less than ideal, as Petrolia ended up getting on the board as T.J. Harris put a shot off a stick, beating Winterhawks netminder Jeff Flagler to cut the lead to 2-1.
Josh Hopkin restored the two-goal lead just shy of five minutes later, sneaking a shot through a crowd past Campbell to make it 3-1 Winterhawks.
The score remained that way until the 3rd period, when the Winterhawks struck twice in short order.
Shields scored at 6:06, from Adam Blundell and Blake Underwood, followed by MacDermid's second of the night from Quaid and Miles MacLean at 11:37 to give the Winterhawks what seemed like an insurmountable 5-1 lead in the 3rd period.
Petrolia didn't go down without a fight, as Isaac McLean snuck one past the glove of Flagler at 15:02, then with the goalie pulled for an extra attacker the Squires made it a 5-3 game with just over three minutes to play.
That was as close as Petrolia could get, as Connor Patton put the game away with an empty netter to make it a 6-3 final for the Winterhawks.
Quaid was named The Wismer House Player of the Game with three assists.
The win improves the Winterhawks to 5-0-0 on the season, and they will take that perfect record into a rematch with the Squires on November 1st in Petrolia.
with files from winterhawks.net
Winterhawks player, Brent MacDermid who scored twice in the game battles it out along the boards with John Montgomery of the Squires. Hub photo
Saugeen Shores Winterhawks goalie, Jeff Flagler stops a shot on his net. Hub photo
Petrolia player, Derek Wagner gives chase as Winerhawks player Jay Thomson takes the puck into the squires half. Hub photo
Saugeen Shores Winterhawks Blake Underwood slides in through the Petrolia defence to take a shot at goal. Hub photo
After losing his stick, Connor Patton used his skates to clear the puck away from the Winterhawks net. Hub photo
