Hawks Put On Team Play Clinic Against Oromocto Wolves - January 19th, 2014

The York West Hawks found themselves on the road on the morning of Sunday, January 19^th for their second regular season tilt against the Oromocto Wolves in the Kings Arrow arena. What was to be witnessed by the coaching staff, and parents, in the proceeding hour of play was, by far, the BEST outing of the season!

The game started with a bang. It took only 10-seconds for Keaton MacPhee (on a great pass from Ramin Imran) to open the scoring. Relentless pressure was applied by the Hawks in the offensive zone from there, and the Wolves’ Defense and Goaltending played stout in an effort to keep the game manageable, but they finally succumbed after a faceoff to the right side of Oromocto net minder was won by Keaton MacPhee, who spun and fed it back to Duncan Christine at the point. Duncan proceeded to fire a rocket that found its mark with 1:46 remaining in the first, and put the Hawks up 2-0. With some breathing room from the two goal cushion, the Hawks began playing a complete “team” game, and the offensive zone passing, which they had been working so hard on in practice, was put on full display! That team effort was rewarded quickly in the second frame with two goals a mere 54 seconds apart.

The first came at 11:49 off the center ice faceoff and was THE HIGHLIGHT GOAL OF THE YEAR. Will Shaw won the draw back to Duncan Christine who made a quick D to D pass to Jonathyn Oland-Simon. Jonathyn then found Denver Pike streaking down the right wing and hit him in stride as he was about to cross the Oromocto Blue line. The Oromocto Defense had no answer to that blitz play, and Denver walked into the high slot and fired a clean shot past the Oromocto Goalie. The second goal, at 10:55, was from Keaton MacPhee (assist from Duncan Christie). The Hawks continued to pour it on, and left the second period with a 5-0 lead; the final goal of the frame coming from Duncan Christie once again on a beautiful open point shot on a pass that came from Keaton MacPhee while the puck was deep in the Oromocto zone. AS DON CHERRY ALWAYS SAYS: “FEED THE POINTS”!

The Third period was just as inspired by the Hawks. Denver Pike, with the puck in the right corner of the Oromocto zone, fed defenseman Jonathyn Oland-Simon who made a beautiful D to D pass to his partner Duncan Christie. Duncan’s shot was stopped, but Will Shaw collected the rebound and found Denver, who started the play, driving to the net for an easy tap in goal. POSITIONAL PLAY PAYS OFF DOESN’T IT DENVER?! The final goal of the game would come off Keaton MacPhee’s stick for the FIRST HAT TRICK OF HIS YOUNG CAREER! Keaton, as he has done so many times this year, was well placed at the net and knocked home a puck laying on the goal line after an absolute rocket from Trent Haines was only partially stopped by the Oromocto goaltender.

To say that the coaching staff was satisfied with the game would be a GROSS UNDERSTATEMENT! Watching this TEAM come together in this contest was a thing of beauty, and we hope it is just a taste of more to come as the season progresses! Fittingly, the Hard Hat went to the ENTIRE TEAM, as the coaching staff was able to go around the dressing room and point out great plays by each and every player on the ice that contributed to the on ice success.

WELL DONE HAWKS!