Golden Hawks keeping pace with Stayner Siskins

February 10, 2017 · 0 Comments

By Jake Courtepatte
It’s time for the rest of the Provincial Junior Hockey League to take the Caledon Golden Hawks seriously.
The league’s worst offense in the regular season in terms of goals-for put up a five spot against the Stayner Siskins in game two of their best-of-seven series Friday night in Caledon East, sending a message to the number-one seed that they will be no pushover.
With newcomer Christian Cipironi between the pipes for the Hawks, he was tested early when the Siskins were sprung on a clear breakaway from a blocked shot at the Stayner blue line. A sprawling glove stop sparked the Hawks, who sent the play back to the other end for Matt Magliozzi to pot his first of two goals on the night.
The Siskins, who averaged a whopping 6.7 goals per game in the regular season, stormed back to tie the game just more than a minute later and take it into the first intermission.
It was once again Magliozzi who put his team ahead early in the second, taking advantage of a four-on-one opportunity in the opening minute.
The back-and-forth action continued with Stayner tying it at two just past the midway point of the second, before Caledon captain Nicholas McNutt’s slap shot found its way through traffic for a 3-2 lead after two periods.
Despite some penalty trouble in the third, it was Josh Hachey and Ryan Mouser who opened up a sizable lead for the home team, a 5-2 score with less than nine minutes remaining on the clock.
Stayner scored on the powerplay in the final two minutes, but it wouldn’t be enough as the Hawks took game two 5-3.
The Siskins lost just two games on the road in the entire regular season.
Game one was a different story at Stayner Memorial Arena the night prior, a rink the Siskins lost just one game in all season. Stayner threw 16 shots at goaltender Andrew Ireland in the first period alone, with just one getting by before the intermission.
After the Siskins doubled their lead, a pair of goals from Tyler Whitten and Magliozzi tied the game at two before the second intermission, though four straight Stayner goals in the third put the game away for good. McNutt added another for Caledon just before the buzzer, with a final score of 6-3 for the Siskins.
Game three goes tonight (Thursday) at 8:10 p.m. at Stayner. The series shifts to Caledon East Sunday for game four, with puck drop set for 6:30 p.m.
Game five will go next Thursday back in Stayner, and if necessary, Caledon will host game six Friday.
Around the league, the Schomberg Cougars pulled off a surprise upset of their own, beating the Alliston Hornets in overtime Sunday. The Hornets lead their series 2-1.
The third-place Penetang Kings are also up three games to one on the sixth-place Orillia Terriers, while the fifth-place Huntsville Otters lead the fourth-place Midland Flyers two games to none.
For stats, schedules and more information, visit www.jrcgoldenhawks.pointstreaksites.com

Caledon’s Christian Hauck screens Stayner netminder Eric Pitcher during the Hawks’ 5-3 win over the Siskins in Caledon East Friday.
Photo by Jake Courtepatte