This past week at practice you could feel a difference in the air. Was it because the team was finally healthy? Maybe. If you were there, you would have seen a determination from this 1-8 team. They knew they weren’t a 1-8 team and this weekend they proved it. They were sick and tired of losing games by one goal. If you didn’t watch the two games this weekend, I suggest you go back and watch them. It’s worth it.
Friday the boys took a trip down south to take on the #2 ranked Mason City Toros for the second time this season. Last time they played the Toros, they were ranked #1 in the incredibly difficult West Division. It wasn’t even close, the boys stomped them. This time, the Toros were out for revenge and scored first after about five and a half minutes into the 1st period. Ok, this is different from last time the Hawks went down there. Not to worry, Hogie tied it up. With just a little over a minute left in the first, Brown takes the puck out of the defensive zone. Makes a zone entry and waits for his teammates by the near half wall. He sees Aiden Hogan coming in hot behind him and Brown hits him in stride. Hogan skates the puck to the top of the near circle and uses a defenseman as a screen and lets a wrister rip. We’re all tied up!
2nd period was all WarHawks with two unanswered goals. Speaking of Brown, with only three minutes left in the period, he gets a pass at the blue line for a zone entry. Brown makes a move and gets tripped up, putting the puck in the near corner. Aidan Callaghan grabs the puck by the half wall and brings the puck into the high slot and shoots. Boys are up one! Just a minute and a half later, M. Jackson hits a Toro off the puck behind the net. Wanka grabs the loose puck and finds Logan Woods crashing the net in the slot. 3-1 good guys!
3rd period starts and within two minutes the Hawks go to the box for tripping. Toros were able to capitalize and bring the game within one. Somehow, twenty seconds later, the Toros score again. I guess they aren’t going to be pushed around again. Halfway through the period, M. Jackson brings the puck into the offensive zone. He makes a hard power turn by the far halfwall to see Mason Wanka trailing him. Jackson hits him in stride and Wanka shoots, follows his shot and gets his own rebound, scoring. 4-3 WarHawks. Just two minutes later, the boys go on a penalty kill and the Toros tie it up. The rest of the 3rd period was incredibly intense ultimately ending in a tie. Bonus hockey coming up!
Overtime starts, here we go! It seemed like the WarHawks had the puck the entire time with very little Toro possession of the puck. It felt like we were going to a shoot out until it happened. With just 24 seconds left in OT, Wanka has the puck at the top of the near circle by the blue line. He feeds a puck low to Aidan Callaghan who sneaks in below his defender. Pulls the puck from his backhand to forehand and roofs the puck! WarHawks win in overtime!
Saturday the boys were back on home ice to take on the Minnesota Wilderness for the first time this season. Coming off a huge win, the locker room wasn’t over confident. There was determination on the players’ faces. They were ready for war and war was what they had on their hands. The Wilderness didn’t go quietly into the night. They fought back like a cornered wounded animal.
In the 1st period, the boys had two man advantages but weren’t able to capitalize. It wasn’t until a minute 38 seconds left in the period that the boys went on their third power play and were able to finally get the scoring going. Brown makes a move by the near half wall and gets the puck high to Stensrud who passed to Gabe Adams. Adams one times it and beats the Wilderness tendy! Literally 9 seconds later, to everyone in attendance dismay, the Wilderness score. 1-1 going into the 2nd.
2nd period starts and fans were still getting back to their seats when the boys decided to take the lead. 18 seconds into the period, Wendorff feeds a pass to Aidan Callaghan in the neutral zone. Callaghan blazes past the defenseman on the far side besting the tendy 5 hole for the lead! One minute later, Wanka has a great stick and deflects a pass down by the goal line in the WarHawks offensive zone. The puck hits the Wilderness tendy and bounces out where Max Jackson cleans it up and gives the boys a two goal lead. Once again, just 20 seconds later, the Wilderness score. This repeat scoring after the boys do by the opposing team is definitely getting old. Halfway through the period, Stensrud takes advantage of a bad change by the Wilderness. Stensrud goes back to the blue line of his defensive zone and throws the puck up to M. Jackson standing on side by their blue line. Jackson taps the puck into the zone right to Mason Wanka who beats the tendy high blocker for the last goal that period.
3rd period had 10 minutes with no goals but both teams had man advantage opportunities. Nine minutes left in the period, Aidan Callaghan gets a pass in the neutral zone from Stensrud. He weaves through a defenseman and shoots practically on the goal line and scores. He had to fit the puck in a hole the size of the puck. I still don’t know how he scored and I was down in the corner watching. Truly an amazing goal. The Wilderness weren’t done either, scoring on a power play. Twenty seconds later, M. Jackson puts the puck between a defenseman’s legs, getting the puck to Woods. Woods throws the puck in front of the net from the goal line where Mason Wanka was sitting for the back door tap in. 6-3 Hawks! Just like before, fifty seconds later, the Wilderness score. There’s still fight in them. The boys go on a power play with three minutes left in the game. Callaghan gets the puck on the top of the far side circle and feeds a pass to Mikko Brown who has a beautiful one timer for the boys last goal of the night. The Wilderness were able to score one last time for a final score of 7-5. That’s a weekend sweep!
Boys are back on home ice this Friday and Saturday, to take on the St Louis Blues. Friday night is Teddy Bear Toss for the Salvation Army! Bring your stuffed animals, for a good cause, and throw them on the ice after the WarHawks score their first goal! Get your tickets here:
