Petes cap weekend with comeback win
Max Grondin hat trick powers 6-3 win over Hamilton
HAMILTON – The Peterborough Petes’ first comeback win of the season capped a three-for-three weekend.
Max Grondin’s hat trick and Tye Austin’s 29 saves powered the Petes to their first win in four games against the Hamilton Bulldogs 6-3 before 3,013 fans at the FirstOntario Centre Sunday afternoon.
On Saturday, Hunter Jones’ 38-save shutout spoiled the Erie Otters Teddy Bear Toss Night. Liam Kirk’s second two-goal game in a row and Declan Chisholm’s three points lifted the Petes to a 4-0 win in Erie.
In Hamilton, the Petes rallied from a 3-1 deficit and picked up their first win in 11 games when trailing after two periods this year. They improved to 15-11-0 and are tied in points with fourth place Niagara IceDogs and Mississauga Steelheads who both hold games in hand.
Petes’ head coach Rob Wilson said he loved the fight his team showed in coming back.
“We knew this was going to be a 60-minute game,” said Wilson. “They were playing their third game in three nights and we knew we had to keep it tight. I think Grondin’s goal before we went in at the end of the second really got us motivated. Our belief came that we could win this game.”
Grondin added two in the third. “It was good for Max,” said Wilson. “He’s had to fight hard for ice-time and he’s doing a good job. He’s really helped take some minutes off other guys. It was a great night for Tye Austin getting his first OHL win.”
Hamilton’s Nicolas Mattinen had the lone goal of the first period taking Mackenzie Entwistle’s drop pass and snapping a long floating wrist shot by Austin at 7:07.
Austin Osmanski tied it 1:32 into the second hammering a long shot short-side on goalie Zachary Roy. Arthur Kallyev weaved his way through traffic and fired a shot Entwistle deflected home for a 2-1 Hamilton lead at 7:04. Austin stopped Liam Stevens on a breakaway keeping it a one-goal game.
Austin made a brilliant pad save off Kallyev at 14:51 but the puck bounced up in the air and Navrin Mutter bunted it in making it 3-1.
Grondin drew the Petes within a goal with 54 seconds left in the second. He drove to the net holding off a check while going forehand to backhand to slip the puck by Roy.
Austin stopped Kade Landry’s point shot then sprawled to glove Entwistle’s rebound shot during a Bulldog’s power play early in the third.
Kirk’s fifth goal in three games tied it at 6:31 on a power play. He put Erik Cermak’s pass from behind the net blocker side. Cermak had three assists.
Grondin went to the slot to convert Cameron Butler’s feed from behind the goal for the Petes’ first lead with 8:08 left.
Grondin buried Brady Hinz’s pass to complete the hat trick at 16:17.
Semyon Der-Arguchintsev added an empty net goal.
In Erie, Chisholm scored on a point shot 10 seconds into a power play 2:54 into the game. The Petes seized control with two goals 51 seconds apart late in the second period. Nick Robertson scored on a breakaway beating goalie Noah Battaglia on a backhand deke at 17:17. Kirk added to the lead corralling Chisholm’s pass then spinning to fire the puck home.
Kirk scored again 8:19 into the third taking Butler’s pass and snapping a shot five-hole on a two-on-one. Impatient Erie fans threw their Teddy Bears after Kirk’s goal. Normally it’s done after the home team’s first goal.
The Petes return to action 7:05 p.m. Thursday when they host the North Bay Battalion.
NOTES: Pavel Gogolev did not accompany the Petes on their road trip as he’s battling the flu, said Petes’ head coach Rob Wilson. Cameron Supryka took his roster spot on Saturday… The three stars Saturday were 1. Hunter Jones (P); 2. Liam Kirk (P); 3, Declan Chisholm (P)…
Three stars on Sunday were 1. Max Grondin (P); 2. Tye Austin (P); 3. Mackenzie Entwistle (H)… Hardest working Petes on Saturday was Adrien Beraldo and on Sunday it was Erik Cermak.