Photo: Trenton Golden Hawks
The Trenton Golden Hawks powered their way back into the win column in a big way in their return home after three weeks away.
A four-goal second period and three shorthanded tallies did the damage as the Hawks defeated the East Conference’s top seed, the Stouffville Spirit 6-2 on Friday at the ‘Hangar.’
Kale Mace nabbed the opening goal for the Hawks, his fourth of the season, from Candon O’Neill and Jamie Darlison at 13:07 of the first before Trenton exploded in middle frame.
Jack Ziliotto broke away and buried the first of the trio of shorties for his 17th of the year at 6:35, then Thomas Kuipers scored off the rush at eight minutes on separate Trenton penalties.
Jacob Martineau pulled the Spirit back to within two, but the Hawks were just too powerful and retook control.
Ziliotto deked out Hayden Sabourin and Isaiah Shantz notched his 11th of the season to further the lead.
Both teams split goals in the third as tensions boiled over, with a flurry of penalties and a fight between Mace and Lucas Demiglio and a hit from behind that led to a five-minute major penalty to Hudson Armstrong.
Griffen Boyle hit the net for Stouffville and Joey Brehmer buried his 12th of the year for Trenton as the Hawks outshot the visitors 35-24 overall.
Hayden Jeffery made 22 saves to improve the Hawks to 21-7-0-2 and five points closer to Stouffville in the East standings.
O’Neill had three assists total and Mace, Shantz, Ziliotto, Kuipers and Taeo Artichuk all had two points each.
Trenton will get right back at it at 4:30 p.m. Saturday versus the Newmarket Hurricanes.
