For a second straight game, the Trenton Golden Hawks rode off the back of a three-goal first period en route to a stingy 4-1 victory over the Cobourg Cougars Friday night.
In the first meeting head-to-head on the young season, a former Cougar came out motivated to get his new club off on the right foot, with Beckett Ewart scoring his first of the season from tight range on Matteo Porporino off a rebound.
Taeo Artichuk and Jamie Darlison assisted on the effort just 1:07 into the game.
Isaiah Shantz notched his first of two on the night 11 seconds into a powerplay at 8:42, deflecting a Reid Pettipas shot into the twine past Porporino to extend the lead to two.
Another first goal as a Hawk came at 12:50, when Matt Indovina snuck behind the Cougars defensive stance and beat Porporino on a deke to bank another tally for Trenton from Mason Musclow and Nathan McHattie.
Lincoln Edwards got one back on a powerplay deflection from a Jack Cook shot through a screened Hayden Jeffery to get Cobourg on the board, but nothing came too easy the rest of the night for the visitors.
Shantz buried his second of the game and third of the year at 3:20, ripping home a Spencer Hughes pass off the rush and the Hawks cruised to victory with some outstanding defensive play.
McHattie added a second assist on the Shantz goal and then helped hold the Cougars to only eight shots in the final 40 minutes.
Overall, Trenton outshot Cobourg 32-19, with Jeffery picking up his first OJHL win in the crease.
The 2-1 Hawks now head to Niagara Falls for the Governor’s Showcase for a pair of games with the Collingwood Blues (1 p.m. Monday) and Toronto Patriots (2 p.m. Tuesday).
(BROCK ORMOND)
