Wolves Premier Shut Out Hawkesbury Knights in Game 1 of Jersey Hitmen Classic
- James Karr
- Oct 17, 2024
- 2 min read
On Thursday, the West Chester Wolves opened the Jersey Hitmen Classic with a 3-0 victory over the Hawkesbury Knights at Ice Vault Rink 2.
The Wolves wasted little time getting on the scoreboard, capitalizing on a power play at 8:37 of the first period. Defenseman Nolan Huntley fired a shot from the point, assisted by Finn McGolrick, to give West Chester a 1-0 lead. Just a few minutes later, Titus Keyes netted the second goal of the game at 14:23, with a setup from Yianni Tsatsoulis.
The second period saw the Knights push back, but they were repeatedly thwarted by the Wolves' penalty kill and goaltender Elijah Wiltshire. The Wolves took a total of 12 penalty minutes, but the penalty kill unit was flawless, shutting down all six of the Knights' power-play opportunities. Wiltshire, who stopped all 25 shots he faced, played a pivotal role in keeping Hawkesbury off the board. His calm presence in net anchored the Wolves' defensive effort and ensured that the Knights' offensive chances were limited.
In the third period, the Wolves put the game out of reach at 13:16. Logan Gee scored the final goal of the contest, with assists from Danil Nikiforov and Aaron Shanks, sealing a 3-0 victory. The Wolves showcased a balanced attack and a disciplined defensive performance, while Wiltshire earned the well-deserved shutout in goal. Despite several penalties, West Chester’s penalty kill stood tall, maintaining their lead throughout the contest.
The Wolves will look to carry this momentum into their doubleheader tomorrow at the Jersey Hitmen Classic as they take on the Utica Jr Comets and Charlotte Rush.
