The best game of the season was saved for the last night of the year. Wingham beat Walkerton 3-2 in double overtime to win the regular season of Western Junior C.
Walkerton took it to the Ironmen in the first, outshooting them 13-1. Ben Nelson was the hero on the night, single handedly keeping his side in the game early on.
Finishing 0-0 after one, whatever was said in the Wingham dressing room worked. The Ironmen stormed out in the second with Ryan McNeil opening the scoring, followed by leading scorer Alex Kuntz for a 2-0 lead into the third period.
Once again the Hawks were able to find their groove, putting pressure on the hosts in front of a packed house in Wingham. Branden Welsh put Walkerton within one before Austin Russell forced overtime with under two minutes to go.
Regulation ended with a tie, meaning Wingham was guaranteed first place and a bye out of the first round of playoffs. Despite the implications being off, neither team held back.
Big saves from Wingham's Ben Nelson and rival Erik Angeli set the tone for a playoff atmosphere keeping everyone in their seats through not one, but two overtimes. Walkerton pulled Angeli for the extra man, setting up Kuntz for his second of the night and the game winner.
Now locked in first, Wingham takes some time off with a bye. Walkerton begins their first round against the last place Mitchell Hawks.
