Home ice has been kind to the Trenton Golden Hawks so far in the 2026 Buckland Cup Playoffs.
The Hawks sunk the Lindsay Muskies 5-2 in a game closer than the three-goal margin indicated in Game 3 of the East Conference Quarterfinal Series to go up 3-0.
The Muskies got off the bus and played hard to earn the first goal for the second straight game, converted through Cole MacLean from Kai Williams and Kaden Koutroulides at 13:48.
From there, Trenton methodically picked the Muskies apart with its veteran players coming through.
In his first game of this year’s postseason, Taeo Artichuk spanked home a feed from the corner courtesy of Duncan Schneider to answer more than a minute later to tie the game.
Beckett Ewart added the second assist on the 108-point man’s equalizer.
Lucas Digiantommaso struck not long after on a powerplay, swiping an available puck past George Cote to lift Trenton into the lead and notching his third of the postseason from Jamie Darlison and Artichuk.
Trenton made good of its first crack at the Lindsay goal in the second, with Joey Brehmer coming out of a scramble and backhanding a tough shot that eluded Cote less than 90 seconds into the stanza.
Jamie Darlison added his fourth assist and sixth point of the series, with Schneider factoring in again.
The Muskies pulled closer through an Ethan Kindree powerplay marker in the late goings of the second, but the third period was a complete shutdown period typical of a Golden Hawks team that has Buckland Cup pedigree.
The Hawks held Lindsay to eight shots in an industrious 20-minute segment of hockey and netted two into the lonely Muskies cage from Thomas Kuipers and Isaiah Shantz.
Schneider finished with a team-best four points, all assists, Darlison, Kuipers and Artichuk had two points each and Jack Ziliotto chipped in with a late helper to fuel the victory.
Hayden Jeffery stopped 28 as the Hawks can finish off Lindsay Friday night in Game 4 on the road at 7 p.m.
