By Darren Lum
There haven’t been many games this Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League season when the Haliburton Wolves fans could go home smiling because of a win but that was the case this past Thursday at the A.J. LaRue Arena in Haliburton.
Other than going down 1-0 to the visiting Bobcaygeon Storm in first few minutes the Wolves never trailed in the 15-7 win once Wolves captain Tanner Hamilton tied and then scored the go-ahead and the eventual game-winner less than five minutes into the first period.
The Wolves and the Storm combined for close to 150 minutes in penalties.
The game was chock full of every kind of penalty from fighting game and unsportsmanlike misconducts to the usual tripping and slashing minors.
Midway through the first the Wolves were up 5-1 and then experienced the usual lull from a big early lead as the Storm added a pair to end the period only down two goals 5-3.
Say what you will about the team’s opponents the Bobcaygeon Storm. Yes they’re near the bottom of the GMHL north division and only have three wins in the season. For all those things the Wolves still needed to win and did. They showed they have the pace strong puck movement and the ability to finish while even strength and on the powerplay.
The Wolves forward Malik Henry added an early goal in the second to extend the lead 6-3.
Despite a Storm goal after the second period opener the Wolves regained the momentum and took control adding another four goals in the period. Haliburton closed out the final period winning it five goals to two.
Wolves goalie Mitchell Volmert got the start and the win stopping 32 shots. Motoki Watanabe got the night off.
Haliburton improved to 6-20-0 with the win.
The Wolves dominated the three star selection.
Hamilton who leads the team with 31 points (19 goals and 12 assists) in 19 games was the first star with four goals and two assists while Connor Sikma had a hat-trick and two assists and Ryan Salazar scored a pair and added three assists.
Haliburton will be tested as it hosts Parry Sound (15-6-1 as of Monday) this Thursday at the A.J. LaRue Arena. The puck drops 7:30 p.m.
Wolves notes: In the second period an official who was escorting Wolves forward James Kilgore to the penalty box pushed the player from behind twice. It was hard enough that Kilgore fell forward onto the bench.
