Patriots top Walkerton to stay atop Pollock Division

WALKERTON – The Mount Forest Patriots remained atop the Provincial Junior Hockey League’s Pollock Division following a 5-3 victory over the Walkerton Capitals Friday night at the Walkerton Community Centre.

The Patriots won it with three goals in the third period, their third goal of the period being scored into an empty net with 13 seconds to play.

The teams were tied 1-1 at the end of the first period and 2-2 after the second. A pair of power-play goals by Austin Griffin in the third period put Mount Forest ahead for good.

Will Lewis, Devan Doig and Aidan Doig scored the other goals for Mount Forest while Brody Leblanc had two assists. Single assists were recorded by Reid Caswell, Lewis, Griffin, Matthew Weiler and Jaxon Gawel.

Scoring a goal apiece for Walkerton were Owen Troyer, Graham Gateman and Sam Shakes. Troyer and Markus Grajnar-Ptok each had two assists and Brayden Harrow and Ethan Kerr had one each.

Walkerton outshot Mount Forest 29-25 and went 1-for-6 on their power play while the Patriots went 3-for-4 on their power play.

Marshall Nicholls had 26 saves for the Patriots and Vance Meyer had 20 for Walkerton.

Mount Forest leads the division at 23-4-1-0 and are a point ahead of the second-placed Hanover Barons who are at 22-4-0-2. Walkerton is fourth at 13-11-1-2.

The Patriots are to host the Kincardine Bulldogs (third at 15-9-1-5) Sunday at 2 p.m. in their first of three consecutive home games.

• Guelph Sports Journal