By Mac Christie, Times-Advocate Staff

PARKHILL – The Lucan Irish hammered the cellar-dwelling North Middlesex Stars 11-5 Saturday night in Parkhill.

The loss dropped the last-place Stars’ record to 2-30-2, while improving Lucan’s record to 15-14-4, good for sixth in the SOJHL’s Yeck Conference.

North Middlesex got on the board first, with Nic Kowaluk and Brock Pinnell scoring to give the Stars a 2-0 lead.

Dillon Moss cut the lead to 2-1 at 12:50, before Ben Lawton scored for North Middlesex to regain the two-goal lead.

However, Colin Hartwick, Cam Bond and Mitch Read scored for Lucan to make the score 4-3 heading into the second.

Trevor Perrie brought North Middlesex even at 3-3 2:49 into the second, but it was all Lucan for the rest of the period, as Moss scored back-to-back power-play goals, to complete the hat trick, before Hartwick and Dylan Murray scored in the final minute of the period to make the score 8-4 at the second intermission.

Moss scored his fourth of the game early in the third and although Spencer Kading scored to make it 9-5 with a power-play marker at 8:01, Bond added his second of the game before Hartwick completed his own hat trick in an 11-5 win.

Dylan Hoover made 34 saves in the Lucan net, while the Irish recorded 44 shots.
Lucan coach Dan Mudge said he was worried about how Lucan would perform heading into the game.

“You’re looking at a (possible) letdown against a team that’s struggling,” he said. “They played really well in the first. We took control in the second and third.”

Mudge said the Irish have four games to play before the playoffs, noting they have to tighten up defensively before the post season.

“We have to take care of our own end,” he said. “I think we’ve proven we can score with any team, but keeping the puck out of our net is going to be critical.”

He added the youthful Irish would like to add some experience before the Jan. 10 trade deadline, but noted there’s not a lot out there to be had.

Still, he noted he’s pleased with the team’s play.

“I’m really happy to think we’re one game over .500,” he said. “We’re right in the heat of it.”

Irish beat Dorchester in OT

The Irish overcame the Dorchester Dolphins 5-4 in overtime Friday night in Dorchester.

Lucan got 47 saves from goaltender Joseph Frustaglio and Mudge noted he played well.

“Whoever plays well down the stretch is going to get the majority of playing time in the playoffs,” Mudge said of Lucan’s goaltending situation. “The important thing is (for the goalies) to be ready.”

Lucan built a 2-0 lead heading into the second period against Dorchester on goals by Cam Bond and Dylan Symons, before Dillon Moss scored the only goal of the second to take a 3-0 lead into the third period.

“The first two periods were probably the best two periods of our season,” Mudge said. “We played just about as good as we can hope to.

“Then I think we showed our youth in the third.”

Dorchester scored 18 seconds into the third, added another five minutes later and tied the score at 11:38.

But Mitch Smith put Lucan back in front with a power-play goal at 13:04.

It looked like Lucan was going to hold on for the win, but Dorchester scored a short-handed goal with the goalie pulled for an extra attacker with 1:08 to play in the third.

However, Lucan fought back in overtime with Symons scoring his second of the game at 2:57 to give Lucan the win.

While Mudge said the tying goal was hard to take, he gave the team credit for pulling out the win.

“The boys started doubting themselves,” he said of the third period. “But to their credit, they fought back and won.”

Irish overcome Trojans

Lucan beat the Thamesford Trojans 5-4 Jan.2 in the first game for both teams since the Christmas break.

Mudge noted there was a bit of rust on both teams, but said it was good to get the win.

“It’s always good to beat Thamesford,” he said. “They’re a good squad, a hard-working team. We always have problems with them.”

The Trojans scored the lone goal of the first period, but Colin Nancekivell scored on the power play at 13:48 of the second period, before Colin Hartwick and Dylan Murray scored to give the Irish a 3-1 lead.

But before the end of the period Thamesford got back with in one.

Mitch Smith gave the Irish a 4-2 lead with a power-play goal at 8:47, before Thamesford added a power-play goal of their own at 9:23.

The Trojans struck again with just over three minutes to play to knot the score at 4-4, but Lucan captain Wes Huston scored the game-winner with 48 seconds to play.

Dylan Hoover made 23 saves for Irish, while Lucan managed 35 shots in the win.

The Irish are next in action tonight (Jan. 9) at 7:45 p.m. in Lucan when they host the first-place Lambeth Lancers.