Ontario Hockey Association

The Mount Forest Patriots took the front end of their home-and-home series versus the Goderich Sailors Friday night, with an exciting overtime shoot-out victory 6-5.

The Sailors opened the game with 2 goals, but Patriots Captain Shayne Ross and leading scorer Josh Higginson tied up the match, each scoring less than a minute apart, to finish the first period tied 2-2. Rossy's goal was assisted by Bobby Nicol and Doug McNair, while Higgie’s tally was assisted by Jeff Colton and Joel Reeves.

Reeves opened up the 2^nd period with a goal assisted by Higginson and Colton. Goderich answered with 2 more goals ending the period up 4-3.

The teams started the 3^rd period killing off some penalties, with Mount Forest tallying first with 2 markers from Kyle MacKenzie (from Marlon Campbell and Josh Mitton) and Higginson (from Colton and Reeves). 

Josh Mitton took exception to some post-whistle stick work and decided to take it out on Sailors’ Derick Sowerby, drawing fighting majors for the pair. Goderich tied the game with 5 minutes to play. 

At the end of regulation time, Pats defenseman Dan Bennett was assessed a roughing minor, putting Mount Forest down a man to start overtime. Further offsetting ‘chirping’ (aka unsportsmanlike) penalties were issued to Pats defenseman Ryan Guse and Goderich forward Greg Tiffin.

Patriots Captain Ross was put to the test, carrying his team for nearly the entire overtime period, staying on the ice as a third of shortened defensive squad sat in the box. Both sides had a few scoring chances during OT.

In the shoot out, Goderich tallied first, followed by a textbook ‘undressing of the goalie’ by Pats’ Josh Higginson. Goderich rang the post once, but Mount Forest goaltender Chris Fyvie managed to keep the score tied through 5 shooters.

Pats Head Coach Gerry Hillier then turned to his Captain to end the contest, with a chance to win the game squarely on team leader Shayne Ross who skated in and smoothly picked the open side to clinch the shoot out... and the game 6-5. Of note: The line of Higginson, Reeves and Colton rekindled their scoring touch, each earning 3 points a piece on the night. 

The same teams meet again Saturday night in Goderich as the Patriots’’ final regular season game and last tune up as they head into next week’s quarter final playoff series with the Hanover Barons.

See you there Patriots fans!