Richard Whittaker scored two goals as the London Nationals beat the Chatham Maroons Sunday night 5-3 at Chatham Memorial Arena.
The Nationals found themselves on the power-play nine times during the game, capitalizing twice. The first was on the first goal of the game, from Brenden Trottier at 11:37 in the first period. The second was in the second period off the stick of Sam Hunter. The Maroons failed to cash in on their four extra-man advantages.
The Maroons shook off the first goal and scored two of their own in the second period to take a 2-1 lead. Austin Thompson lit the lamp at 7:52 in the second, and Josh King gave Chatham the lead at 13:54. Hunter's power play goal for the Nationals came less than four minutes later to tie it up.
Whittaker closed the second period with his first goal to give London the lead for good, and the insurance goal came off his stick to start the scoring in the third period. Ethan Nother put the game out of reach late in the period. Nolan VandenBoorn gave Chatham a goal back with less than three minutes to go in regulation.
Four players received game misconducts during the game, three of them from the Maroons. Dakota Bohn was shown the bench in the first period on a head contact major. Cory Bussing had an early shower in the third period on a cross-checking call and Steven Beenackers fought with London's Derek Di Iorio in the third, resulting in game misconducts for both.
The Maroons head to Strathroy on Saturday night for their next game, while the Nationals host Lambton Shores on Wednesday.
