The Saugeen Shores Winterhawks directed 47 shots at the net on Saturday night in Seaforth, but couldn’t score as they fell 3-0 to the Huron East Centenaires.
The Winterhawks carried the play for the majority of the game, including early on, but Huron East struck 2:44 into the game, creating a quick transition on a turnover that saw Calvin Penney get in alone on Winterhawks goaltender Matt Tutin, tucking the puck between Tutin’s pads.
Tutin, making his first career start for the Winterhawks, settled down after that, recording 36 saves on the night.
The Winterhawks picked up a powerplay later on in the opening frame, with Brent MacDermid blasting a shot that clanked off the iron, though eyewitness accounts near the Huron East net claimed the puck struck the back bar inside the net, but the referee saw it otherwise.
Both teams went back and forth, with the Winterhawks holding a slight edge in play, though they could not get the traffic in front needed to get one past Huron East netmidner Alex Hutcheson.
Huron East would make it a 2-0 game early in the 3rd period when Conor Carson deflected a point shot past Tutin.
Carson was later shown the gate when he slammed Winterhawks captain Greg Thede into the end boards from behind, picking up a five-minute major, a game misconduct and an automatic suspension on the play.
The Winterhawks were unable to capitalize on the extended powerplay, keeping it 2-0.
Huron East’s Andrew VanVliet picked up a high-sticking call with 3:24 remaining, but even with Tutin on the bench to make it a six-on-four advantage, the Winterhawks couldn’t beat Hutcheson.
Josh Gaynor would add an empty netter with four seconds remaining to make it a 3-0 final.
The loss drops the Winterhawks to 3-3-1 on the season, and they will now head back home to face the Shallow Lake Crushers next Friday, November 24th, at 8:30 p.m. at The Plex.
with files from winterhawks.net
