Patriots score Family Day road win at Wingham

WINGHAM – The Mount Forest Patriots scored once in each period to slip by the Wingham Ironmen 3-1 in Provincial Junior Hockey League play Monday at Wingham’s North Huron Wescast Community Centre.

The win was the sixth in a row for the Patriots and completed a sweep of their three-in-three on the Family Day holiday weekend.

Wingham opened the scoring in the game before the Patriots came back for the victory. The score was tied 1-1 at the end of the first period and Mount Forest led 2-1 at the end of the second.

Keegan Detweiler, Brody Leblanc (his 50th) and Seth Huygen scored a goal apiece for Mount Forest while assists went to Reid Caswell, Jared Rowe, Jack Micone, Conner Willmets and Leblanc.

Noah Bloemberg tallied for Wingham while assists on the goal were awarded to Nelson Helm and Nate Bloemberg.

The Patriots were outshot 30-25 by the Ironmen and were scoreless on two power plays while Wingham didn’t score on five power plays.

Marshall Nicholls had 29 saves for Mount Forest and Garrett Golley had 22 for Wingham.

While the Patriots have two games to go in their regular season, both on the road, their locked into a second-place finish in the Pollock and will face the Mitchell Hawks in the divisional quarter-finals.

Hanover Barons lead the division at 35-4-0-2 (W-L-OTL-T) and the Patriots are second at 31-7-2-0. They’re followed by the Kincardine Bulldogs (22-12-2-5), Fergus Whalers (19-16-3-2), Walkerton Capitals (18-20-2-2), Wingham (16-20-3-1), Mitchell (11-25-3-2) and Goderich Flyers (3-34-2-2).

The Patriots are to play the Barons at Hanover’s P and H Centre Friday at 8 p.m. and the Flyers at the Goderich Maitland Recreation Complex Saturday at 8 p.m.

• Guelph Sports Journal