Written by Chris Hollway
The HP Laker Major Atoms had a fantastic week reeling off 4 straight victories. Game 1 last Tuesday saw the Laker lads double Brantford 6-3. Although the boys fell behind early they quickly tied the score when Patrick Holloway buried a shot from the slot off a beauty feed from Luke Gaylor. Camden Daigle from Tanner Dietz briefly gave the Lakers the 2-1 lead before Brantford scored 2 straight to hold a 3-2 advantage. However, by the midway point of the game the Lakers began to take over and scored 4 unanswered goals for the 6-3 advantage. Cole Melady from Dietz, Dietz from Daigle and Melady, Daigle unassisted and Jackson McLlwain into an empty net rounded out the scoring. Kyle Powers was sharp early in the game while Brantford pressed.
On the weekend the Lakers headed to Port Colborne, the home of the Southern Tier Admirals for an exhibition series. Game 1 Friday Evening started quickly for the Lakers as they opened up a 3-0 lead and cruised to a 7-4 victory. McLlwain had 2 goals while Gaylor had a goal and 3 assists. Dietz and Melady had a goal and an assist each and Holloway and Luke deVries chipped in single goals. Maverick Mulder, Brady Ballantyne, and Daigle had an assist each.
Game 2
Saturday Morning started off a little slower for the Lakers with a scoreless first period after a late night at the hotel. But 2 quick goals in the 2nd had the boys up 2-0 once again. First it was Ballantyne from McLlwain and then Sammy Sedley from Dietz and Daigle on the PP. However, Southern Tier scored the next 3 to hold a 3-2 advantage early in the 3rd before Holloway set up Harmer to tie the score. After that it was all Lakers as Daigle scored from Sedley and Gaylor and then Gaylor from McLlwain and Ballantyne finished the scoring and gave the Lakers a 5-3 win. Wade Robinson was sharp on D using his speed and elusiveness to get several pucks out of the Lakers end and Izac Blum controlled the face-off circle and side-boards with some strong defensive play.
That set up a final weekend matchup against the American team and old foe from last season, West Seneca Wings. This was the quickest and most aggressive game of the weekend as both teams exhibited a feistiness to their play. An unbelievable goaltending display by the West Seneca tender kept his team in the game early as the Lakers held a wide edge in play. However, things leveled off somewhat in the chippy affair and it took a 3rd period tally from McLlwain to send the Lakers to the 1-0 victory. Aaron Waugh notched the shutout and Jack Stecho and Aiden McCann provided a physical presence for their club especially in front of their own net.