Winterhawk Goaltender Jeff Flagler steps out of net to block at Petrolia Squire. Hub photo

The Saugeen Shores Winterhawks went toe-to-toe with the Petrolia Squires in an entertaining duel Friday night, but ended up on the wrong end of a shootout loss.

Adam Arsenault deked out Jeff Flagler for the shootout win, one of four goals for the Squires in the skills competition, handing the Winterhawks a 3-2 loss.

Both teams were determined to make it a wide-open game, playing an up-tempo and at times, sloppy game.

Blake Underwood opened the scoring late in the 1st, taking a hit in order to play the puck deeper into the Petrolia zone. As the play progressed behind the Squires net, Underwood snuck to the front of the net undetected, and took a perfect pass from Curtis Johnston to make it 1-0.

Petrolia would tie it up in the 2nd period when an errant clearing attempt by the Winterhawks defence banked off the glass and right onto the stick of Petrolia’s Jason McPhail, who walked in and beat Flagler.

The Winterhawks would re-take the lead early in the 3rd period, when James McHaig stepped in over the Petrolia blue line, blasting a slap shot past Petrolia netminder Brandon Campbell to make it 2-1 Winterhawks.

The Squires came right back, again capitalizing on a misplayed clearing attempt, as Bob Vanwynsberghe picked up the puck and fed Davis Boyer, who put a shot past Flagler to make it a 2-2 game.

Both teams pressed hard to take the lead late in regulation, exchanging rushes up the ice, but Flagler and Campbell were excellent, turning aside every opportunity.

The two teams remained deadlocked heading to overtime, which solved nothing.

Petrolia would score on four-of-five shootout attempts, while Lauchlin Elder and Chris Minard scored for the Winterhawks and Underwood and Brent MacDermid both missed on their shootout attempts.

The shootout loss drops the Winterhawks to 2-2-1 on the season.

They will be off next weekend, returning to the ice on Friday November 17th, when they travel to Elora to face the Elora Rocks.

with files from winterhawks.net

Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation Executive Director Sally Kidson sang the National Anthem which followed a moment of silence for Remembrance Day, during the home game against the Petrolia Squires, November 3. Hub photo

Petrolia forward Tyler Haddon controls the puck around the Flaglers net, but misses his shot at a goal. Hub photo

Winterhawk forward Bryan Kazarian with a shot on Squires goaltender Brandon Campbell. Hub photo

Winterhawk Captain Greg Thede makes Petrolia’s Cory Pawly lose control of the puck. Hub photo

Forward Andy Mitchell gets to the puck before his opponent and looks for an open James McHaig. Hub photo

Petrolia Squires defence man Kyler Keating tries to foil Andy Fracz chance at the puck. Hub photo