Just one day after a disappointing end to their Carleton
Tournament Finals appearance, the Hawks were forced into action yet again on
Monday night due to a weather rescheduled tilt with the Boiestown/Doaktown
Hitmen. To their full credit, in the middle of the Holidays, and on a day where
there were still some lingering road issues to contend with, the
Boiestown/Doaktown Hitmen cobbled together seven skaters and one goalie to make
the two hour trek to Nackawic. The Hawks coaching staff was unsure how their
team would bounce back after their long tournament weekend, and the opening of
the game did not do much to instill confidence when Doaktown’s Clay Clowater
found the netting behind Justin Chronkite less than four minutes in. Finally,
the Hawks answered back when Duncan Christie made a brilliant rush, and scored
unassisted at 5:03 of the first period. The first period ended with the score
knotted at 1-1, and the Hawks had the opportunity to huddle at the bench to
collect themselves. They responded in a HUGE way!!! In the biggest single
display of offensive production of the season, the flood gates opened, and the
Hawks lit the lamp behind the Doaktown net minder six times in the second
period. Goals (assists) were as follows:
#2 – Keaton MacPhee (Duncan Christie)
#3 – Will Shaw (Shane Fox)
#4 – Keaton MacPhee (Denver Pike)
#5 – Duncan Christie (Keaton MacPhee and Trent Haines)
#6 – Luke McLellan (Duncan Christie)
#7 – Will Shaw (unassisted)
With Doaktown clearly feeling the effects of only having 7
skaters to draw on, and the game well in hand, the Hawks could have continued
to pour it on; especially with three different players a mere goal away from
recording a Hat Trick, but in a display of character, sportsmanship and a
“team first” mentality, personal accomplishments were set aside in pursuit of
affording opportunities to players who may not have as many such chances
under normal circumstances. In what was a highlight moment for the coaching
staff, and Hawks fans alike, that team identity culminated in a pretty three
way passing play that notched Ramin Imran’s first goal of the campaign! Ramin
was parked right in front of the Doaktown net when Will Shaw and Keaton MacPhee
passed around the Doaktown defense to find Ramin alone for a one-timer for the
ages. Well done Ramin!
With the team on a steady diet of passing plays the rest of
the way, they still found the net two more times. One from Jonathyn
Oland-Simon who managed to elude the Doaktown goalie on a shot from the blue
line, and the second, to finish the game off, from Shane Fox on a great feed
from Josh DesRoaches who also spent the final part of the third period
as a forward in an attempt to find the net for a goal of his own. So close
Josh!!!...we will need to work on keeping that stick on the ice in front of the
net!
This game was extremely special to the coaching staff; not
because of the final score in the game, or the recording of another key league
win, but rather the fact that the Hawks demonstrated the characteristics of
true winners on the ice with their sportsmanship and exemplary “team first”
play. Nothing spoke more to the “team” concept than when the score sheet was
reviewed at the conclusion of the game, and EVERY SINGLE DRESSED SKATER had at
least one goal or assist to their credit…what a special group!
Fittingly, Ramin Imran was the Hard Hat recipient, and the
million dollar smile he flashed as he proudly wore it says it all…
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