By: Agrani Tiwari
The Ottawa West Golden Knights surged to a thrilling 6-3 victory over the Renfrew Timberwolves on Thursday, Nov. 7, fueled by a dominant five-goal performance in the third period. This win marks a powerful rebound for the Golden Knights, avenging an early-season loss to the Timberwolves in September.
The game began with a measured pace as both teams focused on strong defense. Ottawa West’s Jonathan Curti opened the scoring in the first period at 6:53, assisted by Connor Weido. Despite opportunities, neither team could further capitalize in the first 20 minutes.
The Timberwolves returned strong in the second period, with Liam Haggerty scoring at 2:48, assisted by Parker Evans and Volodymyr Karpachov. Shortly after, Karpachov netted a power-play goal, pushing Renfrew into a 2-1 lead. Despite multiple penalties on Ottawa West’s Jonathan Curti and Bailey Pipe, the Golden Knights’ defense held firm, keeping the deficit to one going into the third period.
The Golden Knights turned the game around with an explosive offensive display in the final period. Matthew Stringer tied the game at 2-2 just 52 seconds in, with assists from Bailey Pipe and Rhett Cleverdon. Moments later, Cooper Moore seized the momentum with a successful penalty shot at 2:29, putting Ottawa West in the lead. Moore struck again at 6:36 with his second goal, assisted by Brennan Miller and Connor Dickey.
Ottawa West continued to build on their lead, with Justin Murdoch scoring at 7:57 to make it 5-2. Jacob Perreault then added a short-handed goal at 16:04, pushing the score to 6-2. Renfrew managed a late power-play goal from Parker Evans, but Ottawa West’s commanding third period secured a 6-3 victory.
Ottawa West scored on one of their two power plays, while Renfrew converted on two of five power-play opportunities. The game included a combined 22 penalty minutes, with Renfrew’s Owen Goodwin taking a 10-minute penalty in the final period.
Associate Coach Barry Cape acknowledged the Golden Knights’ slow start but credited the team’s resilience in the third period. “The first two periods, we didn’t really stick to our game plan… we got caught up in their physical play. But in the third, we came together and fought back. We really gelled as a team,” he said.
Reflecting on strategy, Barry highlighted the importance of challenging Renfrew’s goaltender. “We knew we had to get traffic in front of him… we’ve only scored two in a game before, but tonight, we aimed for five or six,” Barry added.
For Cooper Moore, scoring twice, including a critical penalty shot, was a highlight. “It feels pretty good,” he shared. “We started off slow, but it’s good to get the win against these guys. We just jumped them in the standings, and we need to keep this momentum going for the season.”
The Golden Knights, with their decisive victory, continue their strong season. They look to build on this momentum in their next game, proving their depth and determination as they aim for the top spot in the league.
