PALMERSTON – Despite a snowstorm this weekend, the Minto 81’s hit the ice for two games in the WOAA Senior AA Hockey League.
On Jan. 17 the 81’s traveled to Shallow Lake to take on the Crushers.
Minto fired things up in the first period on a goal by Tommy Hoogaars, assisted by Adam Kawalec. However, the Crushers responded with two of their own to take a 2-1 lead.
Minto 81’s defenceman Shawn Lantz stretches in an attempt to knock the puck off a Shallow Lake stick during the game on Friday night.
Minto then responded with two goals, scored by Wade Pfeffer and Denver Hill, to give the 81’s a 3-2 lead going into the second period.
The Crushers got a quick goal 11 seconds into the second to tie the game. Not long after, Tyler Harrison and Hoogaars scored in response for the Trains, making the score going 5-3 heading into the third.
The Crushers would score once in the third as Minto would hang on for a 5-4 win – the sixth in a row for Minto.
The Trains returned to Palmerston the following afternoon for a game versus the Durham Thundercats, hoping to extend their winning streak to seven games.
Neither team found the back of the net in the first period. Durham would score three times in the second, with Kawalec scoring the 81’s lone goal of the period, as Durham took a 3-1 lead into the third.
The 81’s would tie the game on goals by Jake Pleon and Zach Graham, however with eight minutes left in the third, the Thundercats would regain the lead.
Minto pulled their goalie in favour of the extra attacker late in the period, but were unable to tie the game. Durham added an empty net goal to make the final score 5-3, ending the 81’s winning streak at six games.
The 81’s are currently in eighth place in the WOAA Sr. AA standings. However with three games left on the schedule, they have yet to clinch a playoff spot in the AA playoffs.
Minto could finish as high as sixth or as low as ninth depending on the results of the next three games.
The final three games on the schedule are Jan. 21 in Lucknow (results not available as of press time); Jan. 25 at 8pm in Palmerston against the Tillsonburg Thunder; and Feb. 2 at 6pm in Palmerston against the Lucknow Lancers.
Roster addition
Defenceman Shawn Lantz has joined the 81’s.
Local hockey fans will know Lantz from his time with the Mount Forest Patriots of the PJHL. He most recently played for the Elora Rocks of the WOAA Senior AA loop.
Lantz made his debut last weekend.
Comedy night postponed
The Giggles comedy night scheduled to follow the Jan. 18 game was postponed until further notice due to the weather conditions last Saturday.
The rescheduled date and time will be announced on the Minto 81’s social media pages.
All tickets previously purchased will be valid for makeup date.