A note: It is the responsibility of the home team to send in game recaps. A majority of teams have not been sending in recaps this year, but here's a few that we've received.

Jan. 27

WEST KINGS 5 – NKEC 3

On Friday, Jan. 27, in Canning a desperate NKEC Titan team hosted the West Kings Wolverines. The Titans, who haven't found much success in the win column this year, were hoping for a big outing. 

The Titans started the game on a mission, peppering the West Kings goalie with pucks from all angles, but the Wolverine netminder Aiden Estey was unfazed.

The Titans held much of the play in the first period, but showed nothing for it on the scoreboard as the visiting goaltender had other plans for the evening. It was the Wolverines turn in the second period as they held much of the play for the first 10 minutes, scoring three goals (Shaun Campbell, Adam Coyle, & Evan Beresford) and taking control of the game. The Titans fought back scoring two goals of their own (Nolan King & Ryan Brown) making it a game again. 

The visiting team was able to score one more before the end of the frame making the score 4-2 heading into the third. 

The Wolverines’ fourth goal was scored by Evan Beresford, which was his second of the game. The Titans came out in the third period with energy and again held much of the play, but were having no luck scoring on the visiting side. Finally, Jonny Petrie of the Titans was able to find the twine behind the West Kings netminder to once again bring the game into reach.  The Titans continued to battle but were unable to shoot another one past Estey who played an incredible game.  West Kings were able to pot one more, which would be Beresford’s third of the game. The visiting team came out on top by a score of 5-3.  

Jan. 28

AVON VIEW 5 – PAR-EN-BAS 1

Two of the top teams in the Valley High School Hockey League met in an inter-divisional game Saturday, Jan. 28, at the West Hants Sports Complex in Windsor, with the Avon View Avalanche sidelining the Yarmouth County Par-en-Bas Sharks 5-1. 

The Avalanche – with the exception of the last half of the first period – came to play against a Sharks team who had defeated them in tournament play in their only previous meeting this season. 
 For the Avalanche, Lawson Spenser and Harrison Spague missed golden opportunities early in the opening frame after the Sharks coughed the puck up in their own end.  The Avalanche carried the play in a dominant fashion for the opening 8 minutes of the game outshooting the Sharks 9-2.  Wilson Davison – who played another strong game for the Avalanche, despite some penalty trouble mid-way through the contest – made a rink length dash down the left side but could not put it behind the Sharks’ goalie Miguel Surette. 

The Sharks then picked up their play and missed two dynamite chances, one on an open net but failed to score. 

Ryan Cooke, with 1:06 remaining in the first period, was parked alone in front of the Sharks’ net and let a quick shot go to elude Surette and give the Avalanche a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes.

In the second period, Lucas Cottreau of the Sharks missed on a breakaway as Dawson Baillie made a nice glove save to keep the Sharks scoreless.  However, shortly after that Par-en-Bas knotted the game at 1-1 when Connor Pothier took a beautiful pass from Alyee Richardson as he stood all alone to the left-hand corner of the net. Avalanche net minder Baillie never stood a chance. 

This tied the game 1-1. Surette was called back into action quickly when he made a nice stick save at the last second off of Evan Baxter.  Harrison Spague then missed a clear deflection directly in front of the Sharks net and Noah Macumber then rang one off the goal post. The game was still tied at 1-1. 

Par-en-Bas was then awarded a penalty shot as Macumber was forced to haul down Cottreau, but Cottreau simply was not able to beat Baillie in the Avonview net and the game was still 1-1.  Avon View finally went ahead 2-1 when Wilson Davison made another great end to end rush and let a wrist shot go which Surette seemingly had until he dropped the puck behind him and it slid across into the net with 7:12 to play in the middle period for a 2-1 Avalanche lead.  Lawson Spenser was stymied as he went in all alone on Surrette while Blake Newell missed a glorious scoring opportunity close in front of the Avalanche net.  Avon View outshot the Sharks 15-4 in the second period and took a 2-1 lead into the third when the door became seemingly wider in front of Surette.

In the third, Nathan MacAusland  took a wrist shot, which managed to go just over Surette’s back but instead of bouncing directly in front of the net, it slid to the side of the goal and it remained 2-1 Avalanche.  Dominic Jacquard then missed a great chance for the Sharks.  Davison then came back with his second goal of the night as he let a shot go from 20 feet out to beat Surette and put the Avalanche up 3-1.  Davison then made another nice pass to Nathan Dill and Dill made it 4-1 Avon View.  With the Avalanche on the power-play and only 1:21 remaining in regulation, Noah Macumber scored unassisted to make the final 5-1.  Without a doubt, Davison and Macumber paced the way for the Avalanche with their strong work ethic and always being around the puck.  The Avalanche outshot the Sharks 9-8 in third period and for the game 37-22.

Jan. 14

AVON VIEW 4 – NKEC 2

The Avon View Avalanche, behind the strong and determined work ethic of Wilson Davison, won their 8th game of the season in the Valley High School Hockey League Saturday, Jan. 14, at the West Hants Sports Complex. 

Davison was involved in the first three goals scored by the Avalanche in their 4-2 win over North East Kings as he scored twice and assisted on another and his work ethic was second to none. 

The Titans opened the game’s scoring on a bang-bang play in front for the Avalanche net as Jasper Fitch connected only 2:22 into the game.  NKEC maintained that lead after one period.  Nik Kaizer did miss an opportunity on a breakaway for NKEC that would have given his team a 2-0 lead before the first period ended. 

Other first period highlights saw Noah MacCumber of the Avalanche miss on a shot from the blue-line with Robert McCullogh-Messom not being able to do anything with the kind rebound that resulted.  Avon View goaltender Dawson Baillie made a huge save on the Titans Kitch Brown as he was sprawled on the ice but still made the save. 

The teams were tied 13-13 in shots after the opening period. 

Davison scored his first goal of the game after Nathan MacAusland let a soft wrist shot from the point go and Davison parked where he should have been tip it in to tie the game less than five minutes into the second period.  It took NKEC ages to get a shot on goal in the second period but when they did when Will Harris picked up a loose puck and put a crisp shot past Baillie to give the Titans a 2-1 lead.  Lawson Spencer on a pass from Davison on a great 2-way passing play was able to put a rebound past the NKEC nets to tie the game at 2-2 with 6:08 remaining in the second period.

Davison on a pass from Evan Baxter who was given the puck by Brody Richard  and let a shot go from 20 feet out in the left face-off circle scored to put the Avalanche up 3-2 heading into the third period.  NKEC had a two man advantage  for 1:10 in the second  and had two quality chances but could not connect. 

The only goal of the third period came from Noah MacCumber with a nice shot from the point into the top right hand corner of the NKEC net with 6:08 to play proved to be the insurance marker for the Avalanche who outshot NKEC 15-4 in the final period for a game total of 39-24 Avalanche.