Riverhawks advance to semis

Big 4-1 win over Dundas in Game 7

Heading into Game 5 of the junior C quarterfinals, Rob Hubbert said that the winner of the game would be the team that battled the hardest and wanted it the most.

In Game 5, the team Hubbert coaches, the Riverhawks, won the game in double overtime. In Game 6, the Dundas Blues were the hungrier of the two clubs, setting up a winner takes all Game 7 Tuesday night in Dundas.

For the first time since 2009, the Riverhawks have won a playoff round and advance to the East semifinals, defeating the Blues, 4-1, proving that they were ready to battle in a big game.

Riverhawks VP of hockey operations Winston Auld said that the team was like Jekyll and Hyde.

“(They) continued their strong efforts on the road and picked up their third win in the series in the Dundas Blues’ own barn,” he said. “At home, they struggled the last two games but in Dundas, they are a completely different club.

“Why has baffled the coaches and everyone around them.”

Auld added the Riverhawks expected the Blues to come out hard and fast to begin the game, and that’s exactly what they did.

“Despite some great opportunities, David Johnston kept them off the scoreboard with some great saves,” said Auld.

At the other end of the ice, Michael Destro offered up his own goal line heroics. Even though Destro didn’t see a lot of rubber — the Riverhawks only got five shots on net in the first — Destro turned away all of them.

With the first period ending in a scoreless tie, after the intermission it was the Riverhawks turn to come out of the gate hard and fast. Lead by Matt Goch, the Hawks did just that and he scored at 1:55 of the middle frame, burying a pass from Brandon Thomas and Dalton Riley.

The Hawks continued to dominate around the goal mouth throughout the second period, netting two more goals before the period ended. Taylor O’brien and Riley gave Chippawa a 3-0 lead heading into the final 20 minutes.

“In the second, the Riverhawks seemed to find their legs and were much better at clearing the puck from their zone and setting up plays to start attacks,” said Auld.

As intense as the Blues’ early period efforts were in the first and second frames, they paled by comparison to the barrage of shots directed at Johnston to start the final period.

After six minutes of sustained pressure, Mitch Reid finally solved Johnston on an Alex Pierobon pass to get his side on the score sheet, but it would be the only Blues goal in the game. Dundas fired 20 shots at Johnston in the third ( and 42 throughout the game), but Reid’s was the only one over the goal line

Making a three-point night, Goch scored an empty netter with 36 seconds left to seal the game, making it 4-1 on the Riverhawks’ 24th shot of the night.

The Riverhawks semifinal opponents have not yet been determined. In the Niagara and District Junior Hockey League the top seed has the choice of who they face in the semis. Once again, the Grimsby Peach Kings have earned top spot and that choice. The other league quarter- final, between Caledonia Corvairs and the Dunnville Junior Mudcats, will also be determined by a Game 7. Grimsby then picks either Chippawa or the winner of the other series. The unpicked team will then face the Glanbrook Rangers in the semifinal.

The Riverhawks expect the schedule for the semifinals to be released Wednesday night.