Navy Vets inch closer to clinching PJHL division title

Kobe Nadalin earned his first shutout of the season with a 4-0 win over New Hamburg as Woodstock comes closer to clinching top spot in the PJHL’s Doherty Division. (Woodstock Navy Vets photo)

Lee Griffi, Editor

The Woodstock Navy Vets are in the driver’s seat as they look to earn top spot in the Provincial Junior Hockey League’s Doherty Division.

The team came one step closer following a rare Tuesday night affair in Hespeler, which resulted in a 5-1 victory over the Shamrocks. The Vets now have a five-point lead over second-place Tavistock. The Braves have a game in hand, but Woodstock’s final two regular season games are against Hespeler and Paris, two of the division’s weaker teams. The Braves have a much tougher end to the season with games at home to Norwich and on the road in Hespeler and New Hamburg.

Brett Nolan scored twice for the Navy Vets with single markers from Charley Barnes, Carsen Littlejohn and Cooper Vickerman. Barnes also had three assists. Tyler Bouck stopped 43 shots as the Navy Vets were outshot 44-36.

Tavistock tightened the race for first with a 3-2 win in Woodstock on home ice Saturday night. The Navy Vets led 2-1 after 40 minutes on goals from Ethan Markle and Tavio Kauzlaric, but the Braves scored the third period’s only markers as they outshot the Navy Vets 11-7 in the final frame.

Woodstock hosted New Hamburg on Friday and blanked the Firebirds 4-0 as Kobe Nadalin stopped all 34 shots he faced for his twelfth win of the season. The 16-year-old Friendly City standout has a minuscule 2.04 goals against average with a .945 save percentage. Kingston McPherson, Liam Gorman and Owen Ireton led the offence with two points each.