Action heats up for Roth Hawks Tri-County

Roth Diamond Tools minor bantam AE Hawks took to the ice at Mayfield arena March 22 versus the Brampton Battalion to contest the Tri-County championship.

The tone was set early off the opening face-off as James Harkins chipped the puck ahead to J.T. Gore who wheeled around the defender and drilled a top corner shot home seven seconds in. The Hawks carried the play in the first but couldn't count another. In the second the Hawks enjoyed the shot count 15 to 6 in their favour but surrendered the only goal. In the third on the penalty kill Chris Scrivo found Christian Bonaldi who used his blazing speed to beat the Brampton defense and tender giving the Hawks the lead. Late in the third the Battalion tied the game on their power play sending the game to sudden victory overtime.

Less than four minutes in Cam Miller created a turn over in the neutral zone with some physical play. Christian Bonaldi pounced on the loose puck and found his linemate Chris Scrivo rushing into the slot. Scrivo finished with a hard low shot netting a victory for the Hawks in front of goal tender Nathan Cole.

Saturday, March 24 the action moved to Brampton Memorial Arena for a very different type of game.

Again the Hawks started early where on the second shift Brandon Richard lit the lamp with assists to Christian Bonaldi and Nolan Pearce. Brampton countered with two first-period goals to pull ahead. In the second Captain Gore got the Hawks back on track with helpers from Ryan Rausch and Cody Ruff. Then it was Ruff and Gore feeding "The Moose" Tyler Symonds who charged down the ice and deked the tender for a Hawks' lead. At 7:48 Brampton tied the game again. The Hawks responded as Ruff worked the puck in to Miller who maneuvered to the net with a slick wrap around leaving the puck on the goal line for Giancarlo Cianflocca's tapin. Again Brampton found a way to knot the affair setting up for an exciting third period. Sloppy Hawks play in their own zone lead to two quick Brampton goals and apparent control of the game. This was reversed as Bonaldi won a defensive zone draw to Miller who zipped the length of the ice and found Captain Gore going to the net for a one timer. Again the Hawks played poorly in their zone giving up another pair of goals. As time wound down Symonds pounded home a slapshot with assists credited to tender Marco Chiechi and Ruff's fourth of the game. Alas the Hawks were on the short end of the 8-6 score. On to the final game later this week. Go Hawks go!