The Onondaga Redhawks and the Kahnawake Mohawks played an outstanding game on Wednesday night with the Redhawks prevailing 13-12.
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n the opening possession, Redhawk Tyler Hill scored the first of his 4 goals to give the Redhawks an early lead. Jeremy Thompson then raced around a screen and beat the Kahnawake defenders and the Mohawk goalie for a 2-0 lead. After a Mohawk goal, the Redhawks then extended their defense and chased down all loose balls. The Redhawk offense responded with Brett Bucktooth scoring with a beautiful backhand goal followed by Andy Spack and Jeremy Thompson scoring shorthanded goals to push the Redhawk lead to 5-1. As the period came to a close, Kahnawake tallied and outside blast and a backdoor goal to close the Onondaga lead to 5-3.
Feeling the momentum shift, the Mohawks raced down the floor of off the opening face off to score 7 seconds into the period to cut the lead to 5-4. The Mohawks weren’t done as they added two more tallies for a 6-5 Kahnawake lead. For the first time in the President’s Cup, the Redhawks were trailing the opposition. The Redhawks responded with Tyler Hill scoring to tie the game at 6. The Mohawks scored on a backdoor play to take the lead at 7-6. Tyler Hill then responded with a beautiful outside power play goal to tie the game at 7. Closing out the exciting second period was creative ball movement starting with Jeremy Thompson and slick behind the back pass by Wade Bucktooth to AJ Bucktooth who scored providing an 8-7 lead.
Opening up the third period was AJ Bucktooth scoring a pretty behind the back goal followed by Andy Spack scoring his second man down goal of the game for a Redhawk 10-7 lead. After a Kahnawake goal, Onondaga’s Jeremy Thompson scored on an off balance (while being checked to the floor) bounce shot bringing “oohs” from the fans and an 11-8 lead. The Mohawks sensing the period nearing a close pressed the cage hard and earned 2 straight goals and a very exciting 11-10 ballgame. With 4:30 minutes to play, Tyler Hill scooped up another loose ball and beat the goalie with his final goal of the game and a 12-10 lead. Kahnawake didn’t quit and added their 11th goal of the game to bring the Mohawks to within one. Then with just over a minute to play, Tyler Hill drew two defenders and slipped a pass to Brett Bucktooth who tiptoed along the crease and scored Onondaga’s 13th goal and a two goal lead. Kahnawake then ran a well designed play and scored with 40 seconds remaining. Kahnawake won the next faceoff and called timeout to set up a game tying play. As the Mohawks attempted to run the play Murray Stout intercepted the pass. The Mohawks continued to pressure and eventually stole the ball and raced toward the net. The Redhawk defense ran to stop the ball carrier, the Kahnawake attacker passed across the crease to an open teammate who fired on the cage only to be stopped by a sliding goaltender Ross Buckooth preserving a 13-12 Redhawk win.
For his efforts Tyler Hill was awarded Player of the game and Thursday the Redhawks face the 2 time defending President’s Cup Champions Owen Sound Woodsmen.
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