The Kitchener Dutchmen started slow in their season opener against the Cambridge Winter Hawks and were kept in it early thanks to starting goal tender Jackson McIntosh. McIntosh made 21 saves in the first two periods, including a diving save highlight half way through the first period.
Kitchener would take the game 3-2.
The Dutchmen opened the scoring 37 seconds into the second period. With the puck deep in the Winter Hawks zone, the defence would turn it over to Connor Cole. He’d feed Adam Kawalec for his first of the season.
Cambridge would tie the game on the powerplay. A bit of a broken play leads to a wrist shot from Devin Shell. McIntosh makes the first save but Kyle Liu bangs home the rebound over McIntosh’s glove.
Kitchener would regain the lead in the third period. A shot from the blue line is redirected by Kyle Ellis. That’s Ellis’ first goal of the season.
Fifty seconds later, Mitchell Smith added another mark on the power play. The nice individual effort would put Kitchener up 3-1.
The Winter Hawks made it close late on another power play. Maxime Lamontagne would score on help from Alex Bottigoni and Devin Shell. The mark made it a one-goal game. With the net empty, Cambridge tried to mount a comeback but couldn’t find the back of the net.
It’s a good opening win for the Kitchener Dutchmen, who are looking for redemption following last year’s early playoff exit. The team finished the regular season atop the Midwestern Conference but lost in the second round of the playoffs to Stratford.
The Dutchmen’s next game is on Friday in Listowel.
