Golden Hawks comeback attempt thwarted by late game winner

October 22, 2014 · 0 Comments

By Jake Courtepatte
After a busy schedule the week before, the Junior C Caledon Golden Hawks were left with only one game on the docket for Thanksgiving weekend.
They hosted the Schomberg Cougars Sunday at home at Caledon East, having bounced back from a double-digit loss earlier this month to string together back-to-back regulation wins.
The Hawks entered the game two points back of the surging Cougars, who came into the game having won four of their last five.
Meanwhile, Caledon was on their own two-game win streak, having dismantled the Stayner Siskins one week earlier.
Hawks’ goaltender Sam Procopio showed no rust early on, despite not having seen action for more than a week. He stopped all 10 Cougar shots in the frame, killing off three Schomberg powerplays along with a solid defence in front of the net.
He continued to have his work cut out for him in the second, as the Hawks were forced to kill off a five-minute major less than a minute in when Steven Klomp delivered a hard hit from behind.
Schomberg’s Brandon Yorke scored the inevitable first goal of the game on the powerplay, after the Hawks’ special teams were able to kill almost four minutes.
The tail end of the second had the scoresheet start to light up, as two more Cougar goals and a late tally by team points leader Christian Bonaldi put the home team in a 3–1 hole heading to the third period.
After a late Schomberg tripping call in the second, the Hawks gained some advantage by starting the third frame with their foes killing a penalty.
Bonaldi made them pay with his second goal of the game, in less than two minutes of play. Cody Forgione and Michael Andrews picked up assists on the goal.
The Hawks then went on a full-out offensive attack, learning from their earlier mishaps and remaining out of the penalty box, looking for the tying goal.
It came almost nine minutes into the third, off the stick off Ryan Mouser for his third goal in four games.
Unfortunately for Procopio and the Hawks, the Cougars had also been pressing offensively for a decisive game winner. Cougar John Gage netted the go-ahead goal off the very next faceoff 20 seconds later, which would prove to be the game winner.
With the 3–2 loss, the Fergus Devils have jumped ahead of the Hawks in GMOHL standings, having won three games in a row. The Cougars also move to four points above the Hawks’ nine points, and have an 0–2 record against them this season.
Friday’s match-up in Huntsville will prove to be an important one, as Caledon is one point behind the Otters after having both played 10 games. They then face the Erin Shamrocks Sunday at home, who have lost four in a row and who the Hawks defeated 6–4 earlier this month.
For stats, schedules, and more information, visit www.juniorcgoldenhawks.pointstreaksites.com