Home Hardware Kinucks enjoy a winning week.
Kincardine Kinucks 8 - Walkerton Capitals 4
Hanover Falcons 3 – Kincardine Kinucks 4
On Monday night the Home Hardware-sponsored Kincardine Kinucks traveled to Walkerton, looking to cement their place at the top of the division. Walkerton might be the Capitals, but after putting up a valiant fight, their hopes were crushed by Kincardine’s flying K!
Walkerton battled hard and looked to be potentially pulling
off a shock win, as they led 2-0 in the first period, and again, 4-2 in the second.
However, the Kinucks came back strong, tying things up 4-4
at the end of the second. That momentum
was to carry on into the third as Kincardine proved to be just too strong,
running out 8-4 victors.
Scoring in this game went to Noah Swann (4+2), Cody
McClelland (2+1), Quinton Pagé (1+2), Sam MacTavish (1+1), with the remaining
assists collected by Cam Fletcher, Holden Stevenson, Jared Houghton and Carson ‘Teddy’
Fletcher.
There was a TSN turning point in the Walkerton game, as the
Kinucks led 5-4, in the third, the Capitals had a one on one breakaway, against Ryan Tanner in
net. The incoming forward looked to deke Tanner, only for the goalie to pull
off an excellent pad save. Tanner again proving why he’s a member of the ‘Berlin Wall’..!
Kincardine’s hardest working player was awarded to ‘the DJ’ Quinton
Pagé. A great all round exhibition of hard skating and heads up hockey. The kid’s
got talent!
Sunday saw the Kinucks return to home ice and face a very competitive
and highly skilled Hanover Falcons team. This game would prove to be an
absolute thriller.
Kincardine took a 2-0 lead in this game, with none other
than Noah ‘The Sniper’ Swann, notching both. This brought his tally to a simply
incredible 75 goals in 20 games. I have witnessed all of these goals, thus far,
but the second was nothing short of sensational. Swann stick handled his way
through, what felt like seventy five players, before lifting the puck into the
top right hand corner of the net. An amazing feat of speed and skill!
The Falcons would fight back to make it 2-1 and the goalies
at both ends of the ice were to be found in brilliant form. The Kinucks Kwade Beisel continues to learn his trade under the goalie coaching of Art
Houghton. In this game, Beisel pulled off a string of fine saves and that’s why
he too is a member of that ‘Berlin Wall’.
The third Kincardine goal would also prove to be a stunner.
This one actually started as a Falcons breakaway. The Kinucks goal looked to be
under threat, only for Cam ‘Chara’ Fletcher to step in and steal the puck from
the speeding Falcon’s centre-man, as he crossed the Kincardine blue line. The puck broke out to Swann who raced through
the middle of the defence and slotted the puck in the net. A 3-1 lead for the
Kinucks.
Unfortunately, the lead would prove to be short lived as the
Hanover Falcons replied with two of their own goals in quick succession. The
game was tied at three, in the third.
Spectator’s heart rates were racing at this point as
Kincardine’s power forward Sam MacTavish was, in fairness, deservedly sent to the penalty
box, following an open ice hit that the Hanson Brothers would have been proud of!
Kincardine would have to dig deep, if they were going to win
this one. Bodies were flying in front of the Kinucks net as they frantically
tried to keep the Falcons at bay. Noah Swann, Ryan Tanner, Jared Houghton,
Carson Fletcher and Jesse Pagé battled for every loose puck that came their
way. The other member of the French Connection, Quinton Pagé also made some key
defensive contributions during this period of intense pressure.
The defensive pairing of Holden Stevenson and Caydence
Gibson also made key contributions as the team displayed their desire to win.
Sure enough, the go ahead goal came from the prolific Noah Swann. This was goal
number four for Swann and his 77th of the season so far!
The Falcons pulled their goalie in the closing stages, but
the Kinucks held out for the 4-3 victory, when Cody McClelland sped down the
wing, maintaining control of the puck and expertly winding down the clock.
Coach, Greg Tanner, was very pleased with the teams overall
effort, as each and every player made a contribution to the win. He awarded the hardest
working player to Noah Swann, not simply for his goals, but his tireless work
ethic at both ends of the ice. Tanner felt that many players were worthy of a
mention, particularly the ‘Brock Star’ Brock Courtney who was solid throughout and
made a good defensive pairing with Cam Fletcher.