Port Perry Lumberjacks defeat Little Britain Merchants in Wooley Toss game

DAN CEARNS, The Standard

The Port Perry Lumberjacks were able to squeak out a win, against the Little Britain Merchants, in their “Wooley Toss” game.

The game, on Sunday, December 15th, at Scugog Arena, saw fans bring hats, scarves, mittens and other items to donate to Operation Scugog.

Those items were thrown on the ice when the Lumberjacks score their first goal. It didn’t take long in the game for that to happen.

Just 43 seconds into the first period, Andrew Naccarato-Soule scored, sending donations careening down to the ice. Despite some solid scoring chances, on both sides, the game would remain that score until late in the period. Those scoring chances involved a goal being waved off because the net was knocked off its moorings. Then, with 3.9 seconds remaining, Charlie Paton came in on a breakaway and put the puck through the legs of the Merchants’ goalie, extending the lead to 2-0 for the Lumberjacks.

Just over two minutes into the second period, Kyle Den Ouden scored his first goal as a Lumberjack, extending the lead to 3-0. However, around the four minute mark of that period, the Merchants struck twice, in the span of 15 seconds, to make it a 3-2 game. Six and a half minutes in, a Cameron Marshall slapshot found twine, extending the lead to 4-2. Then, with less than seven minutes remaining, Charlie Paton scored his second goal of the game, making it a 5-2 game. The Merchants would score a power play goal, late in the period, and the game was 5-3 after 40 minutes of play.

The Merchants scored the only goal of the third period, about 12 and a half minutes in, but the Lumberjacks held on to win the game 5-4.

One Timers:

- The Lumberjacks will be hosting a Christmas Giveaway game, on Sunday, December 22nd, at Scugog Arena. They will be facing the Schomberg Cougars, at 2:25 p.m. There will be raffles and prizes, and all hockey players 18 and under, who wear a jersey, will get in free.

- The Port Perry Lumberjacks have been named one of the host teams for the Provincial Junior Hockey League’s (PJHL) All Star Game. That game will see the best players of the Eastern Conference battle it out, on Saturday, December 28th, at 2:30 p.m., at Scugog Arena. “Port Perry joins the Tavistock Braves, Hanover Barons, and the Dresden Kings as part of All-Star game host teams, providing fans with a one-game match-up, between the best and brightest stars of the Eastern Conference. The Eastern Conference will consist of stars from the Orr and the Tod divisions, in a head-to-head match-up,” a PJHL press release stated.