Last game, the Dark Knights got a four-goal night from Jeffrey Hanson and a scoresheet argument to go with it. This game, they got a different kind of hat trick.
Dawne Griffith put up a Gordie Howe hat trick, a goal, an assist, and a penalty, and the Dark Knights beat the Wild 4-1 to keep the hot streak rolling.
Another Fast Start
The first-period scoring streak is officially a streak. The Dark Knights scored four in the first against the Crows, three against Red Squadron, and two more against the Wild, which makes three straight games with multiple goals before the first intermission. This one ended the opening period 2-0, with a 9-3 shot advantage to go with it.
For a team that spent last season waiting for the first period to be over, it’s a nice change of pace.
A Different Kind of Hat Trick
Last game, Dawne Griffith finished with an assist and a spotless penalty record. This game she caught up on the penalty minutes and then some, finishing with a goal, an assist, and a trip to the penalty box. That combination is a Gordie Howe hat trick, and it’s the second kind of hat trick the Dark Knights have produced in as many games.
Wild Calls and a Cold Shoulder
The other Dark Knights penalty belonged to Karl Kuchs, who was called for tripping. By the team’s account, the play went like this: a Wild skater spun around looking for the puck and fell down. It was a generous interpretation of the word tripping.
Between Karl’s penalty and Dawne’s, the Dark Knights spent six minutes in the box on two infractions, which is about what the team’s reputation would predict. What the reputation did not predict was the penalty kill. The Wild finished 0 for 2 on the power play, and they managed only seven shots in the entire game, power plays included. The Dark Knights’ own power play went 0 for 1.
The Wild saved their own bit of silliness for a collision in front of their net. #33 offered Jeffrey a hand to help him up, then pulled it away. It’s a move that belongs more on a playground than on a rink. A grudge was born, and it will likely carry through the rest of the season.
A Quiet Night in Net
It was a very different night in net for Lacy Taghon than the game before. After facing 28 shots against Red Squadron, Lacy saw only seven from the Wild, and she stopped six of them.
The one that got through came in the second period, which is a remarkable detail on its own. David Mulvihill scored, with an assist from Wes Skotko, on what turned out to be the Wild’s only shot of the period. At the other end, the Dark Knights put 14 shots on Alyce Traverso in the second and came away with one goal, which made it 3-1 heading into the third. Alyce finished the night with 28 saves on 32 shots, and she kept the Wild in the game for as long as she could.
The Dark Knights added one more in the third while outshooting the Wild 9-3, and the final was 4-1. For a team with a third-period comeback reputation, it’s a little suspicious how rarely we’ve needed one lately.
One Point Back
The win moves the Dark Knights into second place, one point behind Red Squadron, whose first loss of the season came against us. The Wild are still looking for their first win.
Three Stars of the Night
- Dawne Griffith — Scored a goal and completed a Gordie Howe hat trick with an assist and a penalty.
- AJ — Went from forward to defense and back to forward, about as many positions as one skater can play in a night.
- Cameron Chester — Scored a goal and spent the night in attack mode.