Highs and lows are part of being on a hockey team. No better example of that than this past weekend being on the WarHawks bench. Friday night, the boys made the long trip up north and put a hurting on the Wilderness. Coming off that high, the WarHawks went to Alexandria Saturday night and couldn’t find the same magic.
The boys went to Eveleth on a 3 game win streak and were finally healthy. In this sport, playing injured is par for the course but when you get hit with the injury bug early on and for over a month, it can get mentally tough as well. Becoming healthy was just what the WarHawks needed. Why not make it a 4 game winning streak.
A little over the ten minute mark in the 1st period, the boys had the puck in the offensive zone for so long it felt like they were on a power play. After multiple attempts, Domagala brought the puck from the far side corner to behind the net and backhanded it out to a waiting Gabe Adams who scored. One rip good guys. A minute and thirty seconds later M. Jackson made a zone entry by the near side boards and centered it to Walker McGillis who was in the high slot. McGillis gets a one timer and bests the Wilderness tendy blocker side. With a minute twenty seven left in the 1st, Lycke had the puck behind the net and throws it out to Adams. Puck bounces out into the high slot and what felt like deja vu, Hayden Stensrud was there to get the second defensive goal of the night and what turend out to be the game winning goal. The period ends with the WarHawks on top with a three goal lead.
Similarly from the first period, about ten minutes goes by in the 2nd period. Then Parker Lycke decided to have himself a game. Lycke brought the puck into the zone near side and beats the tendy high short side for his first of three goals and his first NA3HL Junior hockey goal. Three minutes later, Domagala kept the puck in the offensive zone and finds Parker’s stick and he fires, scoring glove side again to give him his second goal and third point of the game. The always dangerous last minute of a period kept its reputation and the Wilderness were able to score, giving them a little life going into the 3rd period.
3rd period was similar to the first two as there was no scoring until about halfway through when the Wilderness were able to sneak one more in to finish their hopes of making a come back. More importantly and wildly entertaining, Parker Lycke steals the puck in the last moments of the game in the neutral zone. With two Wilderness players draped over him and being tripped, Lycke stretches out on his stomach and flings the puck towards the empty net scoring his first Junior hat trick. Boys win their fourth straight game, 6-2. Jacob Brumm saw an astonishing 62 shots, saving 60 with a 97% save percentage.
Saturday night, the boys made the short trip to Alexandria to take on their rival, the Blizzard. Last time the WarHawks were in their barn, they embarrassed them and handily beat the Blizzard 5-2. Unfortunately, the script flipped and the Blizzard were able to best the WarHawks 5-2.
1st period it felt like the WarHawks were going to get a fifth straight win. Especially the last few minutes of the 1st, the boys were buzzing. But it didn’t start off feeling that way. Remember the danger of the first and last minute saying? Well, it got proven right again. Within the first thirty seconds the Blizzard scored. That hurt. That is until six and a half minutes left in the 1st. Brown, on a forecheck, steals the puck and makes a beautiful back hand drop pass to Logan Woods who scores. There’s life! That was preceded by two minutes to finish the game where the WarHawks had all the momentum. Even the play by play announcer was impressed.
The 2nd period started and unfortunately the first/last minute adage came true again and not for the good guys. The Blizzard score in the first fifty six seconds. They were able to find the back of the net two more times in the 2nd.
Max Jackson was able to give the boys life nine minutes into the 3rd, getting the boys within two goals. His effort wasn’t enough for a come back and the WarHawks fall to the Blizzard 5-2. Sam Moen saw 27 shots, saving 22, with an 82% save percentage.
The WarHawks are back on home ice Friday, Nov 28th to take on the Alexandria Blizzard to get a little revenge. Multiple different ticket options here:
