Golden Hawks tickled pink with three straight wins

Written By JAKE COURTEPATTE

Philanthropic and successful, what better combination for the right on-and-off-ice product?

Another four-point weekend for the Caledon Golden Hawks at the Nest started off in charitable fashion on Friday night, with the Hawks debuting some new digs for the annual “Pink in the Rink” charity night.

Rosa Alvarez of the Caledon Breast Cancer Foundation was on hand to drop the puck for a ceremonial faceoff to help the cause for breast cancer awareness month, with proceeds from the night's 50/50 draw going directly to the foundation.

Both the Golden Hawks and Schomberg Cougars put their rivalry aside for a pre-game photo op and a warmup in their pink uniforms, before donning the usual blue and yellow and red and white to renew the animosity for the second time this season.

It was the Cougars that took an early 2 – 0 lead, thanks to goals from Owen Heilemann and Jonathan Calleja, though Caledon's Matt Magliozzi and Kegan Hoover returned the favour before the first buzzer.

Scoring was limited in the middle frame, with Caledon's Marc Simonetta recording the only tally, though the constant carousel to the penalty box saw sixteen minutes of penalties handed out.

Simonetta added an empty netter in the final minute of the third for a final score of 5 – 3, while Sebastian Woods was solid between the pipes in stopping 25 of 27 shots he faced to pick up his fourth win in a row.

The Hawks remained hot at home on Sunday in hosting the Huntsville Otters, once again led offensively by the veteran lineup of Magliozzi, Simonetta, and Mathiau Young to a 5 – 1 win.

After a scoreless first period, Caledon exploded for four straight in the first thirteen minutes of the second period to take an insurmountable lead, in a game where Caledon keeper Dylan Cox was not beaten until the final five minutes of the third. The Golden Hawks' star trio combined for two goals and five assists in the contest, while Adam Magliozzi, Kegan Hoover, and Everett Flewelling also found the back of the net.

Matt Magliozzi and Simonetta each sit just four points of the league-leading pace of Penetang's Ben Sly, while Magliozzi and Young are two of just five players to have scored this season in the double digits.

With only one of their next five games on the road, the Golden Hawks will have to improve their road record: out of eight games away this season, only three have culminated as wins.

Yet at the one-third mark of the season, their home stats more than make up for it: the Hawks have lost just one game all season at Caledon East Arena, back in late September to the Penetang Kings.

Wins in three straight games and six of their last seven have Caledon (9-6-0-0) in a three-way tie for the number-two spot in the Carruthers division with the Orillia Terriers and Stayner Siskins, just two points back of the Alliston Hornets.

A heavy schedule this weekend sees the Hawks play three games in three days, taking on the Otters (7-8-0-1) in a road match Friday before visiting the interdivisional Mitchell Hawks on Saturday.

They wrap up the week with a Sunday hosting of the Midland Flyers (8-8-1-0). Puck drop is set for 7:00p.m. at Caledon East Arena.

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