The Fox Creek Bandits and Jasper Wolves came to town on the weekend for games against the Slave Lake Winterhawks. They left having surrendered 27 goals and four points to the ‘Hawks. “A good slump buster,” was the comment of one Winterhawk official.
The ‘Hawks looked like the powerhouse of past seasons, despite their 3 - 6 record going into the weekend. They thrashed a semi-interested Fox Creek squad 15 – 2 on Saturday, and pulled away to beat the Wolves 12 – 7 on Sunday.
Sunday’s game did provide a bit of entertainment. Thanks to defensive sloppiness, the Winterhawks found themselves down 6 – 4 at one point in the second period to a team that had two lines. But the Wolves ‘ran out of gas’, as short-staffed teams usually do in the third period. Defensive play was on Hawks’ player-president Brian Bouchard’s mind when he spoke to The Leader on Monday morning.
“The boys still have to wake up defensively,” he said. “It’s going to cost us against the big teams.”
Big teams like the Onoway Ice Dogs, who lead the league and beat Drayton Valley 6 – 2 on Friday. Returning to the ‘Hawks for Saturday’s game was Brent Blachford, who had started the season with Grimshaw of the North Peace League. Scott Sinclair was another welcome addition, on a night off from coaching the Wolves. He scored three and Blachford got four in the blowout, including a rocket from the blueline that seemed to hurt the Fox Creek goalie as it went over his shoulder.
Scott Cowan also knocked in three for the ‘Hawks. Brent Hill scored two and Dane Boisvert, Blair Sinclair and Kyle Hansen also got in on the act. Sheldon Ghostkeeper was the winning goalie. On Sunday Brent Hill scored four, Keith Sinclair got three, Brian Bouchard and Adrian Cherniwchan scored a couple each and Adam Ching got the other. Calvin Beauchamp had the win in net.
The Winterhawks are off now for a Christmas break. They play a make-up game against Fox Creek on Dec. 30 in Barrhead.

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