(Photo by Tim Bates / OJHL Images)
TRENTON, Ont. The Trenton Golden Hawks (OJHL) scored five times in each of the first two periods to send them on their way to the Dudley-Hewitt Cup championship game for a second straight year as they thumped the Dryden GM Ice Dogs 10-4 Thursday in the final round robin contest in Trenton, Ont.
The result sends the host Golden Hawks directly to the Dudley-Hewitt Cup final Saturday while Drydens 2016-17 comes to a close with the setback.
Trenton will meet either the Georgetown Raiders (OJHL) or Powassan Voodoos (NOJHL) in the title game as those two sides will square off Friday in semifinal action at 7:30 p.m.
An early onslaught put the Golden Hawks in flightas they erupted for five first period tallies to take control of the contest.
Scoring first was Bryce Martin, who snapped one through a crowd from the left point as he made his mark early in his first appearance of the event beating GM Ice Dogs starter Ben Dennis, who was also making his DHC debut.
The Golden Hawks added another at 7:56 with Anthony Sorrentino sending a cross-crease pass over to Mac Lewis who had the whole open side to finish off his in-close chance to make it 2-0.
Adding another just after the midway mark of the frame saw Lewis extend the home sides cushion to three with Sorrentino adding his second assist of the stanza.
Trenton then chased Dennis with their fourth of the session as Jeremy Pullara unleashing a power play blast at 12:36 with Patrick Zubick entering the Dryden net the rest of the way.
The GM Ice Dogs got one back with Jacen Bracko redirecting Cody Wardners snap shot from the left side following a face-off win at 16:43.
However, a two-man advantage let Trenton counter with Sorrentino whipping one through the legs of Zubick from up high.
Capitalizing while still shorthanded, Matthew Pitchenese forced a turnover behind the Golden Hawks net and fed a pass in front to an open Braeden Allkins, who beat Golden Hawks netminder Elliot Gerth.
Up two men again to begin the second period, Trenton worked it around nicely and set it up on a tee for Josh Allan, who blasted one that found the back of the mesh 28 seconds into the frame.
Sorrentinos big night continued on his clubs fourth man advantage marker of the evening at 10:58.
A second Dryden man-down effort saw Dryden get another as Kris Hamlin went top shelf with five minutes left in the middle stanza.
A fifth power play goal saw Sorrentino finish off a hat trick at 17:56 as his long blast flew into the net.
Trenton continued to pour it on getting goals Ben Scheel and Allan as they took a 10-3 lead into the final frame.
Some slick stick work by Drydens Bracko saw him wheel into the Golden Hawks zone where he darted around a defender on the right side and snapped a quick shot past Gerth to round out the scoring.
Trenton held the edge in shots on goal by a 52-26 count in the season-ending defeat for the GM Ice Dogs.
Earning player of the game laurels were Sorrenntino and Bracko.
Dryden will host the 2018 Dudley-Hewitt Cup next May.
DUDLEY-HEWITT CUP
All games at Duncan McDonald Memorial Community Gardens
Trenton, Ont.
Competing teams
Trenton Golden Hawks (Host-OJHL)
Georgetown Raiders (OJHL)
Powassan Voodoos (NOJHL)
Dryden GM Ice Dogs (SIJHL)
Game schedule/Results
Tuesday, May 2
Dryden 5 Georgetown 4 (OT)
Trenton 5 Powassan 1
Wednesday, May 3
Powassan 4 Dryden 3
Georgetown 1 Trenton 0 (SO)
Thursday, May 4
Georgetown 5 Powassan 2
Trenton10 Dryden 4
Friday, May 5
Semifinal: Powassan vs. Georgetown 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 6
Final: Semifinal Winner vs. Trenton 7:30 p.m.
