MIDDLETON - The Digby Mariners turned the tables on the Middleton Monarchs Jan. 14 with a 10-3 win that seemed to settle the score on a chippy game that MRHS won 6-5 in Digby the day before.
Middleton was quick off the mark in Sunday’s game as Taylor Veinot scored just nine seconds into the game with help from Brandon Smith and Nick Hazelwood. But Digby struck back with five unanswered markers in the first frame, making it 5-1 going into the second. Ned Brooks from Hazelwood and Chris Johnson had Middleton’s lone tally in the second period while Digby responded with three more making it 8-2.
In the final period Veinot scored his second goal with Brooks and Hazelwood helping out. Digby responded with another two, ending the game at 10-3.
Hazelwood’s three assists, plus three goals and two assists in the Saturday win made him the top Monarchs point-getter for the weekend.
Braden Trimper notched four of the Sunday night goals for the Mariners while Myles Titus chipped in two and an assist as the pair led the Digby squad.
The Sunday night game in Middleton wasn’t the cleanest hockey game of all time.
The Middleton Monarchs chocked up almost 60 minutes worth of penalties. Digby had more than 40, and both teams were written up for fighting and unsportsmanlike conduct, plus the regular assortment of tripping, slashing, cross checking, and high sticking.
But when they played hockey, it wasn’t too bad.
The contest was a makeup game from the Saturday before. Monarchs manager Albert Johnson isn’t a big fan of having back-to-back games between the same teams and he was worried that the Sunday night game would get a bit out of hand. Johnson said there was a lot of bad conduct on both sides.
In the final period Middleton spent a lot of time in the Digby end and Johnson said that shows the Monarchs can do it.
“If they stick to hockey, and play hockey, they can play with Digby,” Johnson said. “They proved it last night and at points tonight.”
Johnson said the Monarchs’ play improved throughout the game despite the score but suffered from misfires, missed chances, dinging goal posts, and shots just wide of the net.
“You’ve got to be lucky to be good and you’ve got to be good to be lucky,” Johnson said. “And tonight they had no luck.”
The Monarchs sit at the bottom of the Central Division of the Valley High School Boys Hockey league, just behind Digby.
Middleton hosts the West Kings Wolverines Jan. 20 at 7:30 p.m.
