Shorthanded Hawks Crush Aeros, News, HL - Minor Bantam - 27, 2018-2019, CHL Bantam (West London Minor Hockey)

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Mar 10, 2019 | GeoffRead | 693 views
Shorthanded Hawks Crush Aeros
The West London Hawks Minor Bantam #27 were missing five players Sunday night: #9, Cole Chick, Jack Churney, Brendan Walsh, and Noah Weber. You might think the team would have tired and lacked energy on the ice, but on the contrary, the Hawks dug deep and with the help of two PeeWee call-ups and the shutout goaltending provided by Zach Read, the Hawks romped to a 7-0 victory.

The lines in the game were Owen Worby between Tyson Sanders at right wing and Nathan Senese at left, and Callum Knapp between Jack Caughell and Matt DiCicco. The integration of the two younger players was seemless as the two lines accounted for 3 and 4 goals respectively, as the Hawks' balanced attack overwhelmed the Aeros.

The game had many highlights and lowlights. First, the highlights. Worby scored a gorgeous goal to open the scoring on a textbook solo effort. He outworked a big defender in the corner off the draw to get the puck. Then he dipsy doodled around another Aero before going top drawer on the goalie for a very pretty goal. Senese earned an assist on the play - he must have touched the puck off the draw. Worby also later scored a pretty wrap-around goal - he both opened and closed the Hawks' scoring and picked up an assist along the way, making a nice feed into the corner to Sanders who then made a picture perfect pass out front to Senese who put a hard wrister past the goalie for the Hawks' fourth goal.

DiCicco also had a good night picking up a hat-trick and an assist. He has the best shot on the team and was using it to good effect in this one, creating space for himself and getting hard shots off. The fifth goal was particularly memorable as Matt Hodgins, who played defence, made a heads up play to pinch at the point and keep the puck in. Rather than just dumping it into the corner Hodgins carried it around the net and as he turned back towards the blueline he sent a seam pass across the middle to DiCicco who rifled it home.

Another highlight was when callup Caughell scored on the rush after DiCicco found him with a nice pass up the wing and he took a shot short-side the eluded the netminder.

The defence also had a good game as Hodgins with Pyper Baker and Liam Stewart and Jacob Grover were effective at protecting the front and also had a good night moving the puck effectively up to the forwards. Hodgins, in particular, shone in this one as noted above. He also got a nice assist on the second goal (DiCicco's first).

And although it became a blowout, Read was full marks for the shutout. He didn't need to be as good as he was for the win but he made several really good saves to keep the Aeros to zero. 

Now for the lowlights. Essentially, the Aeros, or, really, two of the Aeros in particular, got chippy as the game went on. Apparently, their playoff round robin has not gone well and their frustration is getting the better of them. There were several dangerous plays including one on which Knapp was driven head-first into the boards. The gritty centreman had a bit of a headache afterwards and so was held out of the game as the coaches wanted to treat him with an abundance of caution. Incredibly, a penalty wasn't even called on the play... that the play clearly warranted a penalty was signalled by the fact that the offending player assumed he was getting one and went to the box. 

There were several other similar if not quite as dangerous incidents. Read was snowed once and dug at after the whistle a few times. Grover was slammed into the boards when he stepped up to break up a rush. Baker was pushed down in the corner several times.  In short, it wasn't a display that did the Aeros credit.

Still, the Hawks had much to be happy about with this one, and Coach Liam Walsh awarded the player of the game honours jointly to star call ups Sanders and Caughell. The Hawks have put themselves in an excellent position to make the final four.

Go Hawks go!