NEWS

(pictured - the hometown Trenton Golden Hawks evened the 2017 OJHL Championship Series with the Georgetown Raiders at one win apiece with a hard-fought game two battle - photo credit: Shawn Muir/OJHL Images)

The Trenton Golden Hawks were looking to tie things up in the Buckland Cup final with the Georgetown Raiders in game two of the series at the Duncan McDonald Memorial Community Gardens. They had to do without captain and top blueliner Josh Allan who was given a four-game minimum suspension following an incident late in game one.

Coming into the game coach Jerome Dupont admitted that the first game did not go well. His team took 'dumb' penalties and were burned on the powerplay, he said. The Raiders were the better team in the opener, he said, but was confident in his charges going forward. He looked for a strong rebound on home ice. He noted that James Thomson was going to be in the lineup in Allan's absence. He said that goalkeeper Chris Janzen, hurt near the end of the second period at the Alcott would be a game time
decision.

Janzen finished up first in the voting for the League's Fan Favourite Award.

Georgetown's Jack Jacome led the playoff pointscoring race going into the contest with six goals and 21 points. Linemate Josh Dickinson was on 19 points with six goals also tied with Trenton's Liam Morgan who had scored eight times. Among players still active the Golden Hawks' Lucas Brown was next with eight goals and nine assists for 17 points. The Raiders' Keegan Blasby leads all players with 10 goals and he comes next with 15 points.  Teammate Ryan Takamatsu and Allan were tied with 14.

For the Raiders Jordan Crocker made his return after being out for three games with Louis Kereakou stepping down. Zach Dybowski was still unable to play so callup Mitch Brewer remained on the blueline. For the 'Hawks' Janzen was not able to suit up so Elliot Gerth started in net backed up by Ethan Langevin. The Illinois-born, 19-year old puckstopper played this season for the Wisconsin Whalers in the NA3HL before coming to the 'Hawks.  Chris Sekelyk was back in and Dawson Baker out.

The game was another physical affair in front of over 900 fans featuring a 31-save shutout by Gerth as the Golden Hawks evened the series with the 3-0 victory. Following a scoreless first frame veteran  Jordan Chard got the home side on the board in the second just after the two minute mark with his third of the post-season. In his second term with the Golden Hawks he had 53 points following two seasons with the GOJHL' s Cambridge Winter Hawks and a short stay, four games, with Burlington. In a period dominated by the 'Hawks at 8.28 it was 2-0 when Lucas Brown found the net on the powerplay, his ninth of the playoffs and fifth with the man-advantage. In the period's waning seconds Anthony Sorrentino's fifth put the home team up by three and that would be the scoring for the game. Shots were 15-9 in this period (31-30 in total. )

Though the third was scoreless it was certainly not lacking in action. Following just six minors called in the first two frames the officials whistled two dozen in the last period and like game one most of the
penalties came late on. As a result of fighting majors the Raiders' Colin Rigney and Trenton blueliner Bryce Martin will miss game three as will Georgetown's Arran MacDonald who was given a five-minute major for charging.

On the Trenton goals defencemen Chays Ruddy and Brandon Marinelli picked up an assist apiece. Also registering helpers were Chard, Ben Scheel, Sorrentino and Max Ewart.

As the saying goes 'no love lost between these two teams' who will both represent the OJHL at the Dudley-Hewitt Cup against the SIJHL rep. (either the Dryden Ice Dogs or the English River Miners.) Dryden are ahead with a 2-0 lead in their Final. From the NOJHL it will be Powassan Voodoos or the
upstart Blind River Beavers. Powassan leads 2-0 as of this time.

Action, and that's a good word for it, resumes at the Gordon Alcott arena for game number three on Tuesday night with a 7.30 start. Expect more of the same!

Story by West Division weekly cub reporter & longtime OJHL follower Ron Valentine