Golden Hawks put losing skid behind them with convincing win

Written By JAKE COURTEPATTE

A three-game losing streak came to a screeching halt for the Caledon Golden Hawks on Saturday, bringing them one step closer to climbing the Provincial Junior Hockey League ladder.

Looking to stay perfect against the Midland Flyers after a 6 – 3 win in their home opener, it was the Flyers who soared out of the gate with sixteen shots in the opening period, two of which found their way past goaltender Sebastian Woods.

Down 3 – 0 just past the midway point of the second period, freshman Keegan Hoover capitalized on a feed from veteran captain Matt Magliozzi, before Magliozzi made it a one-goal game on the power play at the sixteen-minute mark of the second.

That sparked a four-goal effort from the Hawks in the third period, tying it up and taking their first lead of the game just over seven minutes in on markers from Magliozzi and Kory Lund respectively.

Marc Simonetta and the younger Magliozzi, Adam, put home two empty netters for a 6 – 3 final.

Woods improved his record to 3-2-0 on the season in stopping 31 Midland shots, putting his name into the top five of a number of keeper categories league-wide, including wins and saves.

On the offensive end, Matt Magliozzi's two goals gave him a total of seven on the year, just two shy of the division lead.

The win was on the back of a losing streak stretching back to an upset overtime victory against the Alliston Hornets on Sept. 23, culminating with a 7 – 2 loss at the hands of the Schomberg Cougars on the road on Thursday.

Meeting for the first time this season, the two clubs renewed their heated rivalry in the second period with the Hawks down by one.

Caledon managed to tie it up just over a minute into the middle frame, though Schomberg returned with six unanswered goals before Caledon stopped the bleeding in the frame's final minute, sparking a series of tussles that continued until the final buzzer.

Simonetta and Hoover provided Caledon's only goals.

Nine games into the 2017-18 PJHL season, Caledon remains a game under .500 with a record of 4-5-0-0, with the ladder still very much up for grabs.

Despite sitting in seventh position in the eight-team Carruthers division, only two points separates Caledon from the first-place Orillia Terriers.

Two games are on the docket for the Hawks this weekend in a battle of the birds, facing their first interdivisional rival in the Goderich Flyers on Saturday, who sit in the basement of the PJHL's Pollock division.

The weekly Sunday home game at the Nest features the Hawks hosting similarly basement-dwelling Mitchell Hawks.

Puck drop Sunday is set for 7p.m. at Caledon East Arena.

For stats, schedules, and more information, visit www.jrcgoldenhawks.pointstreaksites.com.