Bengals Ride Strong First Period To Victory

The Collingwood Cruise (1-8) visited the Hamilton Bengals (3-4) in Ontario Series Lacrosse action Sunday afternoon at the Dave Andreychuk Arena in Hamilton, Ontario. 

The goaltending match-up had Jackson Hainer in net for Collingwood facing Andrew Kidd in net for the Bengals. 

In a first period controlled by Hamilton, the Bengals were able to get up 3-0.  While Collingwood mounted some offense, the Bengals were operating with more in-sync in the period.  However, as the second began, the Cruise were able to get their feet moving and scored a pair of quick goals to get back in the game.  While Hamilton didn't start the period well, they finished strong with three goals in 2:33 to keep the lead at three goals after two periods.

The third period was much more of a defensive struggle, with both Andrew Kidd and Jackson Hainer making some absolutely superb saves in the frame.  The teams traded just one goal each in the period.  Hamilton goes wire to wire, winning 9-6.

To The Game:

Jack Jasinski opened the scoring for the Bengals on the power-play with a low to low blast of a Shane Halliwell pass at 2:16, followed by Halliwell himself with a sidearm snipe to the corner off a Trevor McDonald pass at 7:42.  The Argent increased the lead for Hamilton with a finesse goal from in front off a Nick D'amico feed at 16:53.

After one period, Hamilton 3 Collingwood 0.

Second Period:

Collingwood finally got rolling in the second period with Braydon Hickey scoring off a Colin Matthews pass just 0:10 seconds into the period, followed by Zach Gignac with a bounced shot off a Graham Bergsma pass at 1:46.

Andrew Hoarsely gave the Bengals a bit of breathing room with a quick stick off a Brendon Hoeschmann feed at 3:54, but Ben Baker brought the Cruise within one converting a Ben Baker pass at 6:54.

Jack Jasinski scored his second of the game from the outside off a Jaden Patterson pass at 8:27, but again the Cruise narrowed the lead to one when Colin Matthews scored unassisted with a great individual effort at 9:24.

Hamilton finished the period strong, scoring three late goals.  Ryan Haigh scored in transition off a Dawson Brown feed at 13:18, followed by Cody Menzies with a blast off a Trevor McDonald feed at 14:05.  Tye Argent added another tally from in close off a Jaden Patterson pass at 15:41.

After two periods, Hamilton 8 Collingwood 5.

Third Period:

Zach Gignac opened the third period scoring getting Collingwood within two goals at 10:30, but Andrew Hoarsely answered for the Bengals with a great individual effort unassisted at 12:36.

The action went end to end for the rest of the period, but neither team was able to solve the goaltending, which was superb down the stretch.

Final score, Hamilton 9 Collingwood 6.

The Three Stars:

1. Tye Argent 
2. Zach Gignac 
3. Andrew Kidd