PALMERSTON – After a bleak start to the WOAA Sr. ‘AA’ season, the Minto 81’s have rallied to clinch a berth in the ‘AA’ playoffs after a pair of wins last week.
In a rare Tuesday night game, the 81’s made their way to Lucknow to play the Lancers on Jan. 21.
In the first period Minto scored two goals, one by Tommy Hoogaars and other by Collin Hartwick. Lucknow scored once in the first, making the score 2-1 going into second period.
The Lancers scored two goals in second and held the 81’s off the score board, taking a 3-2 lead into the third.
Hoogaars tied the game in the third to force overtime.
With 41 seconds left in OT, Adam Kawalec scored the game winning goal to give the Trains a 4-3 win.
On Saturday, Jan. 25, the 81’s hosted the Tillsonburg Thunder at the Palmerston arena for an on-the-edge-of-your-seat contest.
In the first period, both teams played a very even game and kept the puck from the net, leaving the score 0-0 going into the second.
The game really picked up with about five minutes left in the second when Kawalec opened the scoring, giving the Trains a 1-0 lead. With only four seconds left in the second, Tillsonburg scored to tie the game.
As the third period rolled around, the score remained 1-1 until the Thunder got a goal with eight minutes remaining. The 81’s didn’t quit, and their determination and perseverance paid off when Shawn Lantz, the newest member of the 81’s, scored with three minutes left on the clock to tie the game 2-2. Neither team would score in the final minutes of the third, sending the game to overtime.
For the second time that week, Kawalec scored an overtime, game winning goal, to give the 81’s a 3-2 victory.
As the standings sit right now, the 81’s are tied with the Durham Thundercats for seventh place and one point back of Tillsonburg in sixth. All three teams have one game left in the season.
The last regular season game for the Minto 81’s is on Sunday, Feb. 2 at 3:30pm in Palmerston against the Lucknow Lancers.