Dec 20, 2024 | Winterhawks News | 478 views
Epic Winterhawks Comeback
It took only one minute and 32 seconds for the Saugeen Shores Winterhawks to undo a poor start on Friday night.
The Winterhawks dug out of a 3-0 deficit in record fashion to take a 6-5 win over the Georgian Bay Applekings on Friday night at The Plex.
With an early start time and the holidays here, it was a large crowd on hand at The Plex, but the Winterhawks couldn't capitalize on the home crowd and got off to a sluggish start, finding themselves down 1-0 less than two minutes into the game.
Georgian Bay made it 2-0 on the power play when a puck in front was accidentally swatted into the Winterhawks net by friendly fire, then the Applekings made it 3-0 late in the period to put the home side in a deep hole heading to the second period.
The Applekings perhaps got the benefit of the doubt from the stripes early in the game, but that changed quickly midway through the period when a delayed penalty on Georgian Bay turned into a 5-on-3 after the post-whistle shenanigans.
Curtis Johnston converted on a goalmouth scramble at 10:49 of the second to get the Winterhawks on the board, with Andy Mitchell and Mike Fiegehen assisting.
The Winterhawks continued the power play and got to within one at 11:18 when Andy Fracz stepped in off the point and hammered a shot into the Georgian Bay net to make it a 3-2 game, Fiegehen and Mitchell assisting once again.
The momentum carried over and this time Jordan Vanhaelemeesch found the puck in the slot and knotted the game at 3-3 just 30 seconds later, with Miles MacLean and Johnston assisting.
Georgian Bay immediately picked up another penalty and Justin Donnelly made them pay, scoring from the side of the net to make it a 4-3 Winterhawks lead from Medric Mercier and Luke Pither, the Winterhawks going from down 3-0 to up 4-3 in just over a minute and a half.
The third period belonged to Brent MacDermid.
The Winterhawks all-time leading scorer put the Winterhawks up 5-3 just 36 seconds into the third period when he deflected Trevor Smith's point shot to give the 'Hawks a 5-3 lead, with Pither also picking up an assist.
The breathing room was short lived as Georgian Bay got it back 23-seconds later to make it a 5-4 game.
A Georgian Bay power play goal knotted the score at 5-5, but MacDermid put the 'Hawks ahead for good just 41-seconds later when James McHaig sent him in alone and MacDermid deked out the Georgian Bay goalie to give the 'Hawks a 6-5 lead they would not surrender.
After earlier taking a puck to the ribs, MacDermid was busted open on a high-stick that wasn't initially called, but the referees got together and made the correct call. The Winterhawks couldn't score on the ensuing power play, but it took time off the clock in a one-goal game.
MacDermid took one more hard check late to get the puck out of the zone, then Georgian Bay was whistled for a penalty late to allow the Winterhawks to waste away the remaining time on the clock to take a 6-5 victory.
With a busted open lip and two goals, MacDermid was named the Wismer House Player of the Game.
Clayton Fritsch made 21 saves in the Winterhawks net for the win, as the Winterhawks outshot Georgian Bay 41-26.
The win was the Winterhawks fourth in a row, and they will go for five tonight [Saturday] on a Voyago Road Trip as part of a home-and-home series with the Creemore Coyotes. Game time in Creemore is 7:30 p.m.