Written by Scott Johnson
The Huron-Perth Lakers continued their solid play and were finally rewarded, taking 3 out of a possible 4 points this weekend.
The line of Blair Butchart, Tanner Hertel, and Tanner Johnson, combined for 4 goals in a 5-2 win in Brantford Friday night. Butchart would open the scoring as his pass across on a 2 on 1, would bounce off the Brantford defender and into the net, just 2 minutes into the game. Hertel , with a shot to the top corner, would add to the lead midway through the first period. Johnson and Butchart assisted. The 99ers would score twice in the 2nd period, once shorthanded, to tie the game up after 2 periods. The Lakers responded in the 3rd, outshooting Brantford by a whopping 23-5 margin in the period, to take control of the game. Butchart scored, on the powerplay, 6 minutes into the period, assisted by Isaiah Waxman, and Kade Landry. Hertel would add his second of the game 2 minutes later assisted by Butchart and Johnson, to give the Lakers a 4-2 lead. Just 32 seconds later, Logan Kellington would close out the scoring, assisted by Butchart and Rhys Vollmer. The Lakers outshot Brantford 42-18 for the game. Bailey Paquette was the winning goaltender. The Lakers were 1 for 7 on the powerplay, while the 99ers failed to score on their 6 opportunities with the man advantage.
“Laker Day” Saturday, Huron-Perth battled Waterloo to a 2-2 tie in Goderich. Kyle McClinchey snapped home a shorthanded, unassisted goal, just 1:15 into the game to open the scoring. The Wolves would tie the score 3 minutes later, then take the lead scoring on a breakaway late in the first period. Tanner Hertel would tie the game midway through the second period as his quick snap squeezed through the Waterloo goalie. Logan Kellington assisted on the goal. For the second straight game, the Lakers came out strong in the 3rd , outshooting their opponent 11-2 in the period, but could not take the lead, and settled with the 2-2 draw. Final shot totals for the game were 30-18 for the Lakers. Brock Baier was solid in net. Waterloo was 1 for 2 on the powerplay, while the Lakers finished 0 for 3 on the PP.
The Lakers host Cambridge in Milverton on Saturday, and travel to Bothwell , to take on Chatham, Sunday afternoon.