Busy weekend nets three wins for Merchants

DARRYL KNIGHT
Special to The Standard

LITTLE BRITAIN: The Little Britain Merchants posted back-to-back-to-back wins over a very busy weekend, shutting down the Uxbridge Bruins, Georgina Ice and North Kawartha Knights, as the Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL) season prepares for its stretch run.

The Merchants opened their weekend with a hard-fought 4-3 victory, at the Bear Den in Uxbridge over the Bruins.

First period goals from Ryan Shaw and Jordan Sharpe pushed Little Britain to a 2-0 advantage. The early stages of the second period saw the teams quickly trade goals, with Damien Heinle scoring for Uxbridge, just 47 seconds into the frame, and Nick Thomakos replying for the Merchants less than a minute later, to restore a two-goal cushion for the visitors.

A powerplay goal by Hayden Long extended Little Britain’s lead to 4-1, but the Bruins would claw their way back into the game, and make a late charge behind goals from Wes Cowie and Alex Siblock. However, Uxbridge was unable to net the equalizer, despite great power play chances in the final minute, as the Merchants held on for the narrow victory.

The following evening, the action shifted back to Little Britain, with Georgina in town for an Orr Division match-up. The two sides sprang right into the action, with Aidan Renouf giving the home side an early lead, only for Georgina to quickly strike back with three unanswered goals. However, before the first period had expired, Renouf and Kyle O’Donnell both lit the lamp for the Merchants to knot the action at 3-3.

The Ice regained the lead, almost five minutes into the second period, but their offence would melt away shortly afterwards, with Little Britain rolling to victory, as they netted eight more goals before the final buzzer blared, winning by a final tally of 11-4 over the cellar-dwelling Ice. O’Donnell and Bubba Watson would both finish the evening with a hat tricks, as Long, Jesse Craig and Blake Abbott chipped in with singles. Thomakos wrapped up the night with three assists.

The Merchants would ring up their third win in as many nights on Sunday evening, when they downed the North Kawartha Knights, in Little Britain by a final score of 7-4.

Watson continued his strong play over the weekend, with a goal and three assists, and Thomakos extended his consecutive game point streak to seven games, with two goals and an assist. Mitch Brown, Mac West, Sharpe and O’Donnell rounded out the goal scorers for the Merchants.

Loose Pucks:
Due to the Holiday break, the Merchants will not be back on home ice in ‘The Sports Capital of the Kawarthas’ until Saturday, Jan. 7th, when they tangle with the Lakefield Chiefs at 7:30 p.m.

This week, the Merchants are in Bowmanville for a 7:20 p.m. tilt with the Clarington Eagles, on Thursday night.

On Tuesday, Dec. 27th, the Merchants make the trek to Lakefield to square off against the Chiefs, with the action getting underway at 7:30 p.m.