A Wild Third Brings Bengals To Victory

Written by Gary Groob  - All Lacrosse All The Time 

The Hamilton Bengals (7-5-1) visited the Clearview Crushers (3-9-1) at the Stayner Arena in Stayner, Ontario on Saturday night in Ontario Series Lacrosse action. 

Hamilton has had a resurgence of recent going 4-1-1 in their last 6 games.  Clearview has had some very close games, and with a break or two could easily be over .500 in their record.

The goaltending match-up had Chase Cosgrove in net for the Bengals facing Jackson Hainer in net for Clearview. 

These teams were in a dog fight right from the start.  Down 6-2, the Bengals mounted a comeback. Three late goals had Hamilton down just one at the break.  After Clearview took a two goal lead in the second period Hamilton came to life scoring six of the next eight goals. 

 In the third period the Crushers worked mist of the period to tie the game at twelve.  Undaunted, the Bengals scored three late goals in 2:45 to take the victory. 

To The Game:

Clearview got rolling quickly with Nile Cyr converting a Graham Bergsma pass at 1:04, followed by Gareth Haigh blasting a Cole Hanrahan feed 0:52 seconds later.  Hanrahan then added one himself off a Bergsma pass on the power-play at 7:10.

Shane Halliwell got Hamilton on the board finishing a Vern Hill pass at 7:41, but Gareth Haigh responded with his second of the game off an Angus Rawding pass at 9:39, followed by Braydon Hickey wiring a Ryan Haigh pass home 0:07 seconds later.

Colin Matthews got the Bengals resurgence started with an unassisted goal at 11:18, and although Gareth Haigh answered with his third of the game, Hamilton rhymed off three more goals to end the period.  Shane Halliwell and Vern Hill both hammered home power-play goals, followed by Hill converting a Tyson Allison feed at 18:47.

After one period, Clearview 6 Hamilton 5.

Second Period:

Spencer Andrews got the Crushers a bit of breathing room scoring off a Cole Hanrahan pass at 1:20, but again the Bengals stormed back with three goals.  Halliwell scored his third of the game, followed by Cooper Day-Allison and Dawson Brown to take the lead.

Gareth Haigh tied the game wiring a Braydon Hickey pass home at 13:34, but Vern Hill quick sticked a Cam Milligan pass at 14:26 to restore the Bengals lead once again.

Angus Rawding again tied the game, but a pair of goals by Tyson Allison had the Bengals up by two at the intermission. 

After two periods, Hamilton 11 Clearview 9.

Third Period:

Nick D'amico increased the Bengals lead with a laser off an Andrew Vradenburg pass at 1:28, but Clearview made a push to get back in the game.

Nile Cyr got the Crushers on track with his second of the day off a Ryan Haigh pass at 3:51, followed by Haigh himself converting a Graham Bergsma pass at 7:28. Cole Hanrahan tied the game with a low to low blast on the power-play off a Gareth Haigh feed at 14:20.

Hamilton put together a final push to win the game with three goals in 2:45.  Shane Halliwell's fourth of the night off a Trevor McDonald pass at 14:48, followed by Cam Milligan with a great individual effort unassisted at 15:51.  The Bengals added one more with Alex Cowgill finishing a Trevor McDonald pass at 17:33.

Final score, Hamilton 15 Clearview 12.

The Three Stars:

1. Shane Halliwell 
2. Gareth Haigh 
3. Vern Hill