Hamilton and Brantford squared off in ACH action on Saturday night at the Dave Andreychuk Mountain Arena.  Jordan Gignac and Alex Micalef each scored twice for the Steelhawks in a losing cause with Micalef’s second of the game sending it to overtime.  Although Hamilton took the loss they did pick up a point in the standings which ties them with the Dundas for the final playoff spot.  Both teams sport a 5-15-1 record and have three games remaining, including a matchup with each other next Saturday night in Hamilton.

The Steelhawks had a hand full of chances to open the scoring early in the game including when Mitch McCrank was sprung behind the Blast defense but he was unable to put it away.  Brantford would get the only goal of the first when Joel Prpic scored at 8:24.

In the second the teams traded goals with Hamilton picking up three of them.  Zach LaRue tied the game up at 4:20 when he took a pass from Dean Gilbert and backhanded it to the top shelf and in.  Micalef then gave the Steelhawks the lead 63-second later.  However, just over two minutes later Brantford scored on the power play to tie the game.  Gignac later scored with 1:45 remaining to put Hamilton back on top but just 17 seconds later the Blast evened the score at three heading to the intermission.

Gignac picked up his second of the game just 54 seconds into the third period on the power play when he collected the rebound on Micalef’s shot and put it past the goalkeeper.  Hamilton held onto the lead for just over seven minutes but Brantford would score their own power play goal in the frame to tie the game once again.

The Blast would take the lead with just under three minutes left in regulation but Micalef would tie the game up 25 seconds later for Hamilton and send it to overtime.

Brantford would end the game with 62 seconds left in the extra frame to pick up two points in the standings.

The Steelhawks will face the Blast on Friday night in Brantford starting at 7:30 PM.  The following night Hamilton and Dundas will go head to head at Mountain Arena with advantage in the race for the final playoff spot on the line.  Game time on Saturday is also at 7:30 PM and is Rosedale Minor Hockey Night.

Tickets for all Hamilton Steelhawks home games are available for purchase at the team’s website www.hamiltonsteelhawks.com or at the Dave Andreychuk Mountain Arena on game day.

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GAME SUMMARY
Period 1
BFD – Joel Prpic (Jacob Ledyard, Derek Medeiros) 8:24

Period 2
HAM – Zach LaRue (Dean Gilbert) 4:20
HAM – Alex Micalef (Jonathon Ornelas) 5:23
BFD – Dustin Alcock (Mark Taylor, Cameron Sault) PPG 7:35
HAM – Jordan Gignac (Kevin Rebelo, Zach LaRue) 18:!5
BFD – Nathan Ferris (Derek Medeiros, Joel Prpic) 18:32

Period 3
HAM – Jordan Gignac (2) (Alex Micalef) PPG 0:54
BFD – Shane Terry (Jeff Caister, Charlie Stephens) 8:06
BFD – Charlie Stephens (Derek Medeiros, Joel Prpic) 17:04
HAM – Alex Micalef (2) (Kevin Rebelo, Jamie Williams) 17:29

Overtime
BFD – Derek Medeiros (Joel Prpic) 3:58

SHOTS
Brantford: 14 – 13 – 13 – 4 – 44
Hamilton: 13 – 14 – 8 – 1 – 31

POWER PLAYS
Brantford: 2 for 4
Hamilton: 1 for 4

Molson Cup 3 Stars
1st – Derek Medeiros (BFD)
2nd – Alex Micalef (HAM)
3rd – Joel Prpic (BFD)
Hardest Worker – Jordan Gignac (HAM)