Hespeler Shamrocks edged by late goal by Wellesley

CAMBRIDGE – The Hespeler Shamrocks surrendered a goal with just over four and a half minutes to go in the third period when they were nipped 5-4 by the Wellesley Applejacks in Provincial Junior Hockey League play Sunday at the Hespeler Memorial Arena.

Wellesley scored the lone goal of the first period and the teams were tied 3-3 after the second. The Applejacks went ahead early in the third before the Shamrocks tied it with 6:09 to play in the third. However, Wellesley netted the winning goal a minute and a half later.

Liam Nelson scored twice for the Shamrocks while Mitchell Smilsky and Justin George added single goals. George had two assists while Derek Taylor, Riley Panagapka, Smilsky, Alex Spencer, Braeden Tyler and Jack Restauri each had one.

Curtis Butler fired home a pair of goals for Wellesley while Liam Wadel, Kian Harron and Carson Wickie had one apiece. Isaac Westlake, Stuart Sinclair and Dimitri Eleftheriadis each had two assists while single assists went to Wadel, Roenick Jakielaszek and Jake L’Heureux.

The Shamrocks outshot Wellesley 50-32 and went 2-for-12 on their power play while the Applejacks went 1-for-5.

David Hanley had 27 saves for Hespeler while Tyson Gustaw, who played for the Shamrocks last season, had 46 saves for Wellesley.

Woodstock Navy Vets lead the Doherty Division at 13-1-1-0 and are followed by the New Hamburg Firebirds (11-3-1-0), Tavistock Braves (7-5-0-1) the Shamrocks (6-8-0-0), Norwich Merchants (5-8-1-1), Wellesley (5-8-0-0) and Paris Titans (2-12-1-0).

The Shamrocks and Applejacks are to tangle again Sunday at the Hespeler Memorial Arena. Game time is 3:30 p.m.

• Guelph Sports Journal