Lambton Jr Sting Minor Atom - 3 point weekend
January 12 - 13, 2008

The Jr Sting Minor Atoms had a busy weekend, hosting the Sun County Panthers in a double header on Saturday and then traveling to the Gemini complex in Strathroy to do battle with the Elgin Middlesex Chiefs.

Game 1 of the weekend was one the weaker efforts put forth by the boys in quite a while. Without any jump in their steps the Lambton squad watched Sun County cruise to a 3-0 victory and were left to contemplate what practice may be like if the pucks were to be left in the locker on Tuesday night.

Game 2 later Saturday afternoon saw a new team hit the ice and with renewed energy the squad set out to even the day with the Panthers. Sun County hit the scoreboard early in the first period and added a second later in the period to go into the second with a 2-0 lead.  The Jr Sting finally found their scoring touch a few minutes into the second frame to pull within one. Five minutes later Sun County restored their two goal lead only to have quick goals late in the period by Isaac McLean pull the game even at 3’s heading into the final frame. Once again the Panthers pulled ahead early but the Jr Sting had other plans in mind to finish out the game. With less than five minutes to go in the game and trailing by a single goal, the local boys scored 4 unanswered goals to pull out a well-deserved 7-4 victory. Scoring for the Jr Sting were Mclean with a natural hatrick, all in the second period,  and singles to Alec Dekoning, Colin Leyton, Brock Perry and Jack Johnston. Picking up helpers were Dawson Vautour with two and Perry, Patrick Wright, Franco Sproviero and Logan Scott all with singles. Sting hardhat for the game went to Isaac McLean.

The third game of the weekend saw the Jr Sting on the road to battle a league rival that they have had little success against so far this year. The boys came out flying in this game and not only held a control advantage early but were playing one of their most aggressive games of the season. The teams battled back and forth to a scoreless first period and at the mid-way point of the second the Lambton squad was finally rewarded with a nice goal by Alec Dekoning, set up by Patrick Wright and Vaughan DeGurse.  Early in the third period the Chiefs capitalized on a power-play to tie the game and shortly thereafter buried the go-ahead marker. None of the Jr Sting had any thoughts of giving up and from goaltender Wilkins out through the defence and forwards, all the boys dug down and with just over 3 minutes remaining Dekoning would net his second of the game, with the assist going to Morgan Halcovitch to tie the score at 2-2.  This would be how the game ended and looks like a good sign heading into the upcoming Preston International tournament this coming weekend. Sting hardhat for player of the game was awarded to all seventeen of the boys for what was likely the most entertaining and well played game of the year.