‘New stick’ comes through for R’Hawk
Nick Volpatti’s first hat trick in junior hockey couldn’t have come at a better time for the Niagara RiverHawks.
With the 13-1-1-0 Grimsby Peach Kings at the other end of the ice, the Provincial Junior Hockey League team needed all the help it could get in the road game Saturday.
Volpatti, a 19-year-old Welland native who is in his second year studying at Brock University, added an assist in a 5-4 victory that improved Niagara to 9-6 overall and to 1-2 versus the Peach Kings this season.
“I just picked up this new stick and I guess it worked tonight,” Volpatti said with a chuckle after setting up Derek Pymont with the gamewinning game.
Nick Brake rounded out the scoring for the RiverHawks, who were outshot 30-27 and extended their winning streak to three games.
Dorion Maye, Christian Stevens, Tyler Bush and Adam Kozlowski, with 51 seconds remaining in regulation, replied for the Peach Kings who made a game of after trailing 3-0.
Niagara finished the game 1-for-4 with a man advantage; Grimsby, 1-for-6.
RiverHawks head coach Tim Barath singled out the play of goaltender Dylan Matos in his post-game comments.
“We played a strong first and third period, we were flat in the second but Dylan (Matos) made some big saves for us to keep us in the lead in the second period,” he said. “We need to learn to play a full 60 minutes, but I’m happy with the overall effort.”
Niagara was back on the ice Sunday visiting the Port Dover Sailors, 6-8-2-2, and will host the Hagersville Hawks 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Gale Centre.