Special teams were front and centre for the MoJacks on Saturday night.  The Jacks killed off a string of penalties in the second period, including several minutes of 5 on 3, while also capitalizing on two powerplays of their own en route to a 6-2 win in Little Britain.  Port Perry’s top ranked penalty kill was also rewarded for their efforts with a goal, as the MoJacks improved their unbeaten streak to 10 games and regained sole possession of top spot in the PJHL’s Orr Division.  Mitchell Gustavsen also continued his role as a goalie’s nightmare scoring a hat trick to lead the way.

Port Perry was first to get on the board, as the Merchants got running around and took back to back penalties, putting the MoJacks on a two man advantage.  Konrad Piorkowski found some open ice, as he so often does, and was the recipient of a beautiful seam pass from Liam Schweda, which he promptly blasted home low glove for his ninth goal in 10 games to put the visitors up.  Schweda’s seventh point of the season leads all MoJacks defencemen.  The goal seemed to go right to the Jacks’ legs as they peppered Merchants goalie Chad Callaghan throughout the second half of the period.  It was during those final minutes when the MoJacks number one penalty killing unit came up large with a big goal.

With Jordan McCullough in the box for interference, the MoJacks pressured the puck relentlessly.  Ben Sheremeta turned the puck over, cruised in on callaghan and fired home his second of the season to double the MoJacks lead.

Early in the second, the MoJacks top line was up to their usual tricks.  Just shy of the two minute mark, Gustavsen scored his first of the night, snapping a wrist shot far side on Callaghan to put an exclamation point on a nice tick-tack-toe passing play from Toby Cooper and Piorkowski.  Gustavsen now has a sizzling eight goals and 18 points in 10 games to lead the team.

The game turned a little chippy in the second, and the MoJacks discipline was on hiatus as they took four straight penalties, including a double minor for spearing, which provided a long stretch of 5 on 3 powerplay time for the Merchants.  Little Britain was able to sustain heavy pressure, but Jacob Lebel, making his fourth start of the season with Blake Shaw unavailable, stood tall and made several big saves to keep the Merchants at bay.  The home team finally got on the board however in the last minute of the second period when Aidan Renouf scored his first of two goals after a determined forecheck by Jesse Craig.  The two were at it again early in the third, when Renouf took a pass from Craig, cut into the slot and roofed a backhand over Lebel’s shoulder to cut the MoJacks lead to one.  The pair of goals gives the Merchants over-ager seven goals in just seven games in 2016-17.

After calling 14 penalties in the first two periods, and ejecting two players and Merchants Assistant Coach Mark Watson from the game, the referees put their whistles away for most of the third.  This seemed to suit Little Britain just fine, as they were the better team for the first half of the final frame, winning the majority of the loose pucks and firing a barrage of shots at Lebel, who again was up to the task.

The tide started to turn back in the MoJacks favour with the newly formed line of Cole Murray, Brady Martin and Graham Lamers on the ice.  After buzzing around the Merchants net, Murray found himself all alone in front.  He blasted a one timer but was absolutely robbed by Callaghan for his best save of the game by far.  But it wasn’t long before the MoJacks seized the momentum back fully.

Picking up where the Martin line left off, McCullough’s unit hemmed the Merchants in and were rewarded when captain Lucas Berkers found McCullough in tight, who wasted no time snapping it past Callaghan to restore the two goal lead.  Berkers played a strong game once again, highlighted by a devastating open ice hit on Derek Risebrough in the second period.

Gustavsen took over the game in the later stages, scoring twice in the final minutes to put the game away.  Both goals were picture perfect rockets high over Callaghan’s glove into the top shelf, the latter on the powerplay to complete the Toronto native’s first hat trick of the season, drawing him within one of linemate Piorkowski for the team lead.  The MoJacks scored twice on 8 powerplays while holding the merchants scoreless on their 8 opportunities.

The MoJacks now turn their attention to the Lakefield Chiefs, who were tied atop the standings with Port Perry coming into Saturday night’s action.  However, the Chiefs were defeated at home 4-3 by their HWY 28 rival North Kowartha Knights on Saturday, keeping them at 18 points on the year.  It was the Chiefs first loss this season to a team other than the MoJacks, who have bested them twice so far.  Lebel will be back guarding the twine tent when the puck drops at 2:25 at The Gog.  Port Perry remains one of just four unbeaten teams in the entire PJHL, along with Port Hope, Dorchester and Alliston, who’s 11 wins top all of Ontario’s Junior C teams.