The Peewee Legion Rep team started their first round of playoffs against Seaforth Jan. 7 in Seaforth. This series had everything in it: ties, wins, losses, hard hitting, penalties, great saves and a team that got it together, and with hard work, took this series. Game one on Jan. 7 was scoreless through the first period and then Seaforth put one in early in the second. Colton Dunn tied it up unassisted on a power-play goal in the third period, and Cam Hoskins netted a goal shorthanded after a heads-up play from Ryan Gangl, putting Wingham in the lead. With three minutes left, Seaforth put in a winning goal on a power play, leaving Wingham with a 3-2 loss.
Game two, at home Jan. 10 was a nail biter. Both teams remained scoreless through the first period until Seaforth scored in the second. Dunn scored on a power play, assisted by Dustin Robertson and Spencer Green on defence, tying it up. This is how it stayed all the way through the third period, sending this game into a 10-minute overtime. Sam Marston stood tall in net, keeping the boys in the game, and now this series has gone to a point system. The first team to reach six points moves on.
At game three, on Jan. 12 at home, Seaforth opened the scoring, and Maison Nesbitt tied it up at the close of the first period with Wingham’s only goal. Seaforth took this game 4-1.
At game four, Jan. 14, in a must-win game, the Peewee team did not disappoint. With strong effort, and Sam Martson goaltending, the first two periods went by scoreless. Seaforth again opened the scoring but Noah Young scored one, assisted by Gangl and Jordan Pham. Dustin Robertson put in a goal on a rebound shot from Nesbitt, assisted by Pham. Young then scored during the empty netter to end the game 3-1 for Wingham.
On game five Jan. 15, the team dominated the game from the start, determined to win. Nesbitt netted the first goal, working hard on the net with Robertson. Hoskins put in the second goal, assisted by Les Irvine and Landon Anderson Johnston. Brady McDonald netted number three, carrying the puck over the blue line and firing a shot from the top of the circle. The final goal was again on an empty netter, tipped in by Dunn.
Game six, Jan. 16 took the boys back to Seaforth for the final game. the Peewee boys came out strong with great determination. Hoskins scored short handed on a breakaway late in the first period. Early in the second, Hoskins again scored, with Dunn and Young assisting, making it 2-0 till the third. Seaforth scored to tie it up, and with less than three minutes to go, they pulled ahead. The Wingham team did not give up, and with just over a minute to go, Gangl, assisted by Hoskins and Irvine, scored, sending this game into overtime. Wingham dominated the OT with lots of shots, hard work, and with 3.5 second left on the clock, Dunn, assisted by Hoskins and Gangl, scored the series winnner. The boys now head to Minto for the WWOAA semi finals.