Riverhawks make franchise history with thrilling 9-7 victory over Tilbury

George Le Gresley

Sports Correspondent 

The Brant County Riverhawks may not have had to endure a 16-game losing streak like the CFL’s Ottawa Redblacks, but their first victory was no less sweet. After dropping their first two games of the season, the Riverhawks made franchise history with a thrilling 9-7 win over the Tilbury Bluebirds on home ice at the Burford Community Centre.

Trevor Lord and Dylan Wardell opened the scoring for the Riverhawks, giving them a 2-1 lead. The Bluebirds scored on a power play, but Owen Allan responded with a power-play goal for the Riverhawks.

After the first-period intermission and a 3-1 home lead, the Bluebirds scored to narrow Brant’s lead to one goal. Frederick Teeple put the Riverhawks back up, 4-2. Tilbury scored the next two goals, tying the game at 4. Ethan Ingram had other plans, scoring a shorthanded goal to break the tie and give the Riverhawks a 5-4 lead heading into the second intermission.

The Riverhawks carried that momentum into the third period, with Tyson Wassink and Dylan Wardell scoring just nine seconds apart to extend Brant County’s lead to 7-4. In what was bound to be a high scoring game, Tilbury recorded two power-play goals and an even-strength goal to tie things up at 7. Wardell netted the game-winner and his second goal to take an 8-7 lead. With the Bluebirds’ goalie pulled for a tie, Lord scored an empty-netter with 32 seconds left to seal a 9-7 win for the Riverhawks. Jeremy Currie was in net for the Riverhawks’ historic win, stopping 53 shots, while Brant took 45 on Tilbury’s side.

The Brant Riverhawks will be on the road for their next three games and return home on Saturday, November 21, at Burford Arena, with a 7:30 pm puck drop.