Shamrocks drop ninth in a row in loss to Woodstock

CAMBRIDGE – The Hespeler Shamrocks suffered their ninth consecutive setback as they were dropped 7-1 by the Woodstock Navy Vets in Provincial Junior Hockey League play Sunday at the Hespeler Memorial Arena.

Woodstock scored three goals in the first period and three in the second while both teams scored once in the third.

Michael Boyle-Ricupero scored the lone goal for Hespeler while Riley Panagapka and Mathew Styka each had an assist.

Getting a goal apiece for Woodstock were Aiden Kindurys, Brodie Kearns, Cole Dann, Ty Crombie, Ethan Szabo, Chris Coulter and Sam Barry. Jordan Thomson, Tyler Smeda and Barry each had two assists while Kindurys, Dann, Mitch Penner, Crombie, Davin Gray, Szabo, Owen Lukings and Nolan Brett each had one assist.

The Navy Vets outshot the Shamrocks 43-37 and both teams had seven power plays with Woodstock scoring the game’s lone power-play goal.

Scott Rodrigue had 36 saves for Woodstock while Lucas Hillert and David Hanley combined for 36 saves for Hespeler – Hillert getting 12 in the first 27:55 of the game and Hanley getting 24 the rest of the way.

Woodstock leads the Doherty Division at 23-4-2-0 and Hespeler is sixth at 8-19-1-0.

The Shamrocks are to play the Norwich Merchants (12-11-5-1) Friday at Norwich’s NOR-DEL arena at 8 p.m. and host the Tavistock Braves (15-11-0-2) Sunday at 3:30 p.m. at the Hespeler Memorial Arena.

• Guelph Sports Journal