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Tinker Hawks upset Canadian Forces 7-3

  • Published
  • By John E. Banks
  • Tinker Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla., --  Tinker Hawks A and Canadian Forces -- archrivals in the Oklahoma City Adult Hockey League Division III -- faced off April 5 at the Blazers Ice Centre.

A gritty performance carried the Hawks to a 7-3 win over the league-leading CAF squad.

"We always have a tight game against these guys. They are at the top and we are chasing them," said Dave McClay, Tinker Hawks A team captain.

The first goal of the game was scored in an odd fashion. After Hawks center Clark McClay sent a pass from the right corner boards, CAF defenseman Jerry Larkin inadvertently deflected the puck into his own net, putting the Hawks up 1-0 at 6:10 of the first period.

Five minutes later, Hawks center George Ambelang intercepted an errant pass at center ice and skated in on CAF goaltender Stephen Heus. Ambelang lifted a backhander into the left corner of the net, making the score 2-0 at 11:21.

Larkin got his team on the board at the 13:21 mark with a blistering wrist shot from the right point cutting the score to 2-1.

The Hawks rounded out the first period scoring as Ambelang led a three-man rush and fired a wrist shot through the five-hole, making the score 3-1 at the first break.

Both defenses buckled down in the second period, slowing the scoring.

The teams traded goals midway through the period. Goal scorers were Jeff Cheverie for the Hawks and Eric Savioe for the CAF.

The Hawks dominated the third period. They outplayed CAF and scored two more goals to ice the game. The scorers were Cheverie and Dave McClay. The lone goal scorer for CAF in the period was Savioe.

"That was a great win for us and let us creep up a little closer to CAF in the standings," said Dave McClay.

The three stars of the game were Cheverie with two goals and an assist, Clark McClay with one goal and two assists and Larkin who scored a goal and had one assist.

The victory improved the Hawks' record to 10-4-0 on the season while the loss drops CAF to 12-2-1.