EXETER – The Exeter Hawks battled hard Friday against the Mt. Brydges Bulldogs Friday but saw the game slip away from them in the final frame and lost 5-2.
They bounced back Saturday against Burford, however, overcoming a 3-0 first-period deficit to come away with a 9-6 victory.
Friday’s game also included a celebration of the 2001-2002 Hawks squad, which won the fourth of five Ontario championships in Hawks history.
The team was introduced before the game and wore Olympic-style jerseys emblazoned with the Hawks’ 50th anniversary logo.
As previously reported, the Hawks are in the midst of their 50th season and have been honouring each of their Ontario championship team with on-ice ceremonies and other festivities this season.
A near-capacity crowd saw the home team grab the game’s first goal, an even-strength effort from Hawks forward Justin Reid 1:41 into the first period.
Mt. Brydges battled back to tie the game at 3:43 and pulled ahead at 8:07, courtesy of goals from Zach Hodgins and Brendan Heffernan, respectively.
The Hawks trailed 2-1 after the first period but pulled even in the second, thanks to a goal from forward Brent Rae.
Mt. Brydges scored three unanswered goals in the third period, including an empty-netter with less than one minute left, to take the victory.
Hodgins and Heffernan scored the latter two goals, while Adam Fletcher scored the first.
Hawks goalie Greg Dodds had 25 saves in the loss, while Mt. Brydges goalie Derek Mitchell had 34 saves.
“The first two periods I think we just hung around. We were there, we were competing,” said Hawks coach Jeff MacLean. “(In the) third period, for the first 10 minutes I think we were the better team.
“We just couldn’t really put the puck in the net. And then the last 10 minutes of the third, definitely Mt. Brydges took it to us with three goals.”
Saturday’s game against Burford saw a more  physical effort from Exeter than has been typical this season, and that may have threw the Hawks’ overall game off slightly, MacLean said.
“That’s the way we need to play, so now we have to incorporate our physical play with our talent, and I think we’ll be a better team for it,” he added.
The Hawks fell behind early against Burford, surrendering three goals in about the first 10 minutes
Exeter came back with three goals later in the frame, however, and trailed 4-3 heading into the first intermission.
Hawks players Tim Burtch, Reid, and Steve Gingerich each found the net once during that stretch, while Burford’s Tyler Zylstra also scored.
Exeter’s Justin Anstett tied the game 5:24 into the second period, then Josh Brohman put the Hawks ahead 5-4 near the 10-minute mark.
Burford’s Jordan Buckler answered at 12:49, but Oke put Exeter ahead to stay with 1:40 remaining in the frame.
Burtch made the score 7-5 with a goal 7:35 into the third period, and though Watson scored his third goal at 8:08, Dawdy and Blair Parsons solidified the victory with goals later in the game.
Dodds went the distance for Exeter, making 34 saves. Burford goalie Slavko Lysyk faced 43 shots and saved 34.
The Hawks host the defending SOJHL champion North Middlesex Stars this coming Friday at the South Huron Recreation Centre before facing the Lambeth Lancers Sunday night.
“To beat North Middlesex we’ve got to compete,” MacLean said. “We’ve got to fight for loose pucks, we’ve got to win battles along the boards, we’ve got to be a little more physical than we normally are.
“And that’s going to be a focus for us the remainder of the regular season, is to be more physical.”
Friday’s game is set for an 8:30 p.m. start, while Sunday’s will start at 7:45 p.m.