The Saugeen Shores Winterhawks went back in time and returned with a win as they took to the ice as the Port Elgin Bears on Saturday night at The Plex.
The Winterhawks wore gold & black Bears jerseys, honouring the 40th anniversary of the Bears team that captured the 1979-80 Central Jr. C championship.
Prior to the puck drop, 18 members of the Bears championship team were recognized in a pre-game ceremony, including Captain Steve Caloren, who took part in the ceremonial face off.
Once the puck dropped for real, the Winterhawks took it to an undermanned Elora Rocks squad, who dressed only nine skaters for the game.
However, it was Elora getting on the board first, scoring off the rush three minutes into the game.
The Winterhawks got in back on the power play at 11:52 of the 1st, as Nick Quaid got the puck down low to Blake Underwood, who found Michael Johnstone and he made no mistake, firing the puck top shelf on Elora netminder Colin Dunne.
Despite the Winterhawks absolutely dominating the first period with a shots advantage of 25-2, the score remained tied after one period.
The floodgates broke open in the 2nd period, as Underwood broke in and fired a hard shot through the legs of Dunne at 1:48 to give the Winterhawks a 2-1 lead.
Miles MacLean made it 3-1 at 5:05, picking the puck up at the side of the net and jamming it past Dunne, with assists to Connor Patton and Lauchlin Elder.
MacLean's 2nd of the night followed at 8:49, assisted once again by Patton & Elder to make it a 4-1 game.
Johnstone and Andy Mitchell teamed up on a shorthanded rush to make it a 5-1 game, with Johnstone making a backhand pass out front to Mitchell, who beat a helpless Dunne.
Perhaps getting a little too comfortable with their lead, Elora got one back 55-seconds into the 3rd period.
Trent Hawke restored the four-goal lead off the rush at 12:03, with assists to Underwood and Jamie Shoemaker.
The Rocks did not go down without one last fight, scoring twice in the final five minutes to get the score as close as 6-4, but a Patton empty netter put it away and made it a 7-4 final for the "Bears", who improved to 13-3-0 on the season.
Johnstone was named The Wismer House Player of the Game with a goal and an assist.
The win moves the Winterhawks into a four-way tie for first place, sharing top spot with Ripley, Shelburne and Clinton as the regular season moves into the home stretch.
Following the final buzzer, the jerseys were auctioned off by Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound M.P.P. Bill Walker, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Saugeen Shores Police K.I.D.S. program.
The Winterhawks will be back their usual jerseys this Friday night, January 3rd, as they host the Milverton 4-Wheel Drives at The Plex at 8:30 p.m.
