Hinz the overtime hero
Petes getting glimpse of future with recent success
With the number of veterans out of the lineup Peterborough Petes fans are getting a glimpse of their future.
The Petes have likely lost Matt Timms for the season after he reinjured his shoulder in practice on Saturday. He joined captain Logan DeNoble, Adam Timleck and Cole Fraser in the press box all with upper body injuries. Nick Isaacson had shoulder surgery on Thursday.
Despite the missing bodies the Petes pulled out a 4-3 overtime win on Brady Hinz’s second goal of the game against the Niagara IceDogs. The Petes bent, allowing Niagara to rally from a 3-1 deficit, but didn’t break before 3,740 Memorial Centre patrons on Family Day afternoon. Zach Gallant also scored twice while Nikita Korostelev had three assists.
ThewinhelpedthePeteskeeppace with the Mississauga Steelheads who they trail by five points for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot. The Petes have 11 games left and Mississauga, who beat the Flint Firebirds 4-0, have 12.
The Petes also debuted newly signed Jacob Partridge and 16-yearold blue-liner Cameron Supryka played his second game.
Hinz batted down a Niagara pass and skated down the wing to blow a shot inside he post for the win.
“I was going to pass actually but I’m lucky I ripped it and it went top corner,” said Hinz. “It was a great feeling. This brings us lots of confidence. We need wins here to make a good playoff push.”
Sam Miletic’s goal with 24 seconds left in the second period and Akil Thomas’s second goal with 5:03 left in the third rallied Niagara.
“We really wanted to put that game away when we had a chance and we didn’t,” said Petes’ interim coach Andrew Verner. “We were down quite a few bodies and it looked like some of our guys were getting tired towards the end. I thought (Niagara) took over a bit in the third but I’m really happy to see Brady Hinz and Zach Gallant break out with good offensive performances.”
Verner said Timms will get tests on his shoulder this week “but we’re working under the assumption he won’t be around.”
With all the injuries the Petes signed Partridge, their 11th-round draft pick in 2017, to an an OHL contract. The five-foot-eight, 165-pound forward has 16 goals, 28 assists, 44 points and 17 penalty minutes in 48 games for the NOJHL’s RaysideBalfour Canadians. he ranks eighth in league scoring.
“I’vebeenworkingtowardsthismy whole life,” Partridge said. “Growing up in Barrie watching Colts’ games I always knew I wanted to play in this league.”
Partridge, whose grandfather Fern St. Onge played 92 games for the Petes from 1960-62, was surprised by the offer.
“It’s one of the best days of my life,” he said.
“This is another example of our scouting staff identifying a strong player in the later rounds of the Priority Selection,” said Petes’ GM Mike Oke, “that we think will be able to contribute.”
Thomas put Niagara in front 13:47 into the game. Kirill Maksimov poked the puck off Nick Robertson’s stick and Thomas put it under Dylan Wells’s glove.
The Petes tied it 1:15 later when Austin Osmanski slid a pass across to Hinz who tucked it past goalie Colton Incze.
Gallant scored a pair 4:10 apart to make it 3-1 at 7:19 of the second. It started on a power play when Gallant tipped Korostelev’s shot home. The second was a three-way passing play from Hinz to Korostelev, who danced by the defence into the slot only to dish the puck to Gallant at the far post.