DURHAM TEAMS DOMINATE ON SATURDAY'S DOUBLEHEADER.

Yesterday in the ALL East, four teams battled in their week nine games. Two of the most western teams travelled to the Children’s Arena in Oshawa hoping to leave in victory.

But both Durham teams defended their home turf, resulting in two home game wins. The Whitby Steelhawks beat the Six Nation Snipers 21 to 13, and the Oshawa Outlaws beat the Ohsweken Bears 15 to 11.

Game 1 – Steelhawks and Snipers

In the first quarter, Whitby put the first goal on the board. Six Nations shortly followed with their own and both teams went goal-for-goal, neither gaining a lead greater than one.

But with just under eight minutes left in the quarter, the Steelhawks started a dominating run. They led 9 to 6 at the end of the period.

They maintained their momentum in the second quarter, Liam Osbourne scored within the first 20 seconds and kept the ball rolling by scoring the next goal. By halftime, Whitby led 13 to 9.

The third period was the weakest scoring quarter. The first five minutes saw no goals, but Whitby proceeded to score three in a row. Six Nations got one goal, bringing the score 16 to 10.

The Steelhawks kept their lead for the fourth quarter and Colton Lidstone scored the last goal of the night, securing the Whitby’s win. Osbourne led the game in scoring, achieving seven goals and helping his team extend the winning streak to three.

Six Nations’ loss brings their losing streak to seven.

The Steelhawks are the first in the East and sit a record of seven and one. The Snipers are last with zero and seven.

Game 2 – Outlaws and Bears

The second game’s scoring took its time to heat up. The first goal was scored by Patrik Timothee from Ohsweken almost five minutes in. Oshawa followed and scored their own less than a minute later.

Both teams went goal-for-goal for the majority of the first. But near the end, the Outlaws scored twice in a row, bringing Oshawa’s lead to 4 to 3.

The second quarter was like the first. Whenever one team scored, the other followed with their own. By the end of the half, the game was tied 7 to 7.

But this was as close as Ohsweken had to a lead for the rest of the game. Gareth Haigh started a four-goal run for the Outlaws putting them up 11 to 7 halfway through the third period.

Kyle Pedwell helped bring the game closer by scoring twice near the end of the third, making the score at 11 and 9 going into the fourth.

11 seconds into the final period, Austin Blumsburgs started another run for Oshawa. They scored three in a row creating a five-goal lead. 

By the end, the Bears fought to bring the score closer, but a long faceoff consumed their remaining time and they surrendered with about 10 seconds left.

Haigh led the game in scoring with five goals and helped the Outlaws secure their win which was the second Durham Region team win.

Oshawa is on a winning streak of one, sitting fourth in the East with five wins, and three losses.

Oshweken is on a four-game losing streak and is sixth in the standings. They have two wins and five losses.