The Woodstock Navy Vets opened a new chapter in dramatic fashion Friday night, earning a 6-5 overtime victory over the Listowel Cyclones in the club’s first-ever Greater Ontario Hockey League game.
Jaxon Bagshaw completed a hat trick with the overtime winner, finishing a breakaway with a slick move to give the Navy Vets their first GOHL victory.
The Cyclones opened the scoring midway through the first period, but the Vets answered later in the frame when Jaxon Boone found the back of the net.
Boone’s goal was a historic one — the first GOHL goal in Woodstock Navy Vets history.
The teams headed to the first intermission tied 1-1.
Woodstock wasted little time grabbing its first lead of the night in the second. Just 1:27 into the period, Keaton Ferras jumped on a rebound and buried it to put the Vets ahead 2-1.
Listowel responded to even the game before Bagshaw scored his first of the night to restore Woodstock’s lead at 3-2.
The momentum would swing heavily in Listowel’s favour late in the period. The Cyclones struck three times in the closing stages of the second to turn a one-goal deficit into a 5-3 lead heading into the third.
But there was no quit in the Navy Vets.
Bagshaw found the back of the net for the second time early in the third, pulling Woodstock within one.
Just a minute later, Evan Giannone struck to tie the game at 5-5 and erase the two-goal deficit.
Neither side could find the winner before the end of regulation, sending the Navy Vets’ first GOHL game to overtime.
The extra frame produced chances at both ends of the ice, with goaltender Ian Kubelka standing tall when called upon to keep Woodstock alive.
Then came Bagshaw.
The 2009-born forward broke in alone and made no mistake, finishing the breakaway with a beautiful move for his third goal of the night and sending the Navy Vets onto the ice to celebrate a 6-5 overtime victory.
A hat trick. An overtime winner. And the first GOHL victory in Woodstock Navy Vets history.
The Vets won’t have to wait long for their next one.
Woodstock returns home tomorrow night for another historic occasion as the Navy Vets host the Stratford Warriors in the club’s first-ever GOHL game at Reeves Community Complex.
Puck drop is set for 7:45 PM.
Anchortown, we’ll see you at Reeves. ⚓️
