Wentworth Scores Five Unanswered For Victory

In the ACHL’s first game back from the holiday break, the Wentworth Gryphins visited the St. Catharines Saints in a Saturday night tilt. It would be the visiting Gryphins who came away with the victory powered by Matt MacLeod’s hat trick and five unanswered goals over the final 40-minutes of play.

The teams traded goals in the opening period of play, all coming in the final five minutes of the period as the teams were working off the holiday rust. Michael Lomas scored first for Wentworth at 15:36. Ryan Donovan tied the game for the Saints just 50 seconds later. However, just 36 seconds later, MacLeod registered his first of the game and gave the visitors the lead.

With the clock ticking down late in the first, David Pacan scored with 23 seconds remaining to send the teams to the dressing rooms tied at two.

With the drop of the puck in the second period, it was all Gryphins took control of the scoreboard. MacLeod netted his second of the game at 12:50. Wentworth then scored three times in a span of 1:16, with Popek netting the first with 1:56 left in the second. Kyle Lewis and Kevin Harvey scored the next two to take a 6-2 lead.

The only goal of the third would come from the stick of MacLeod, completing the hat trick with 3:21 left in the period for a 7-2 win.

Joe Murdaca picked up the win for Wentworth, allowing just two goals on 56 shots he faced. The win is his fourth of the season, putting him in second place for goaltender victories. At the other end of the ice, Devon Popp got the start and took the loss for the Saints, playing in 36 minutes of the game. Carver Monroe played the final 24 minutes, allowing four goals.

The win by the Gryphins means they leapfrog the Stoney Creek Tigers once again into the top spot in the ACHL with a 10-3-0-0 record. The teams will meet in a key battle in Wentworth’s next game which will be at the Harry Howell Arena on Thursday, January 15^th. For St. Catharines, their next game will be against the Tigers in Stoney Creek on Saturday, January 10^th.

Upcoming Games
Friday January 9
Stoney Creek at Dundas – 7:30pm

Saturday January 10
St. Catharines at Stoney Creek – 6:30pm

Thursday January 15
Stoney Creek at Wentworth – 7:30pm

Friday January 16
Wentworth at Dundas – 7:30pm
St. Catharines at Cambridge – 8:00pm

Saturday January 17
Dundas at Stoney Creek – 6:30pm
Cambridge at St. Catharines – 7:30pm

Thursday January 22
Dundas at Wentworth – 7:30pm

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For more information contact Allan Cup Hockey Commissioner Rick Richardson at 905-328-4727 or email: rickystar911@outlook.com