When a team’s losing streak reaches seven games, losses come on all sorts of ways.
On Friday night at the Pontiac Silverdome in Shawville, the Renfrew Timberwolves appeared well on their way to victory when they pocketed two quick goals.
But they never broke through again, and the home-standing Pontiac Juniors skated away with a 3-2 shootout triumph.
On Sunday, the Stittsville Royals erupted for five second-period goals en route to a 7-2 win over the slumbering Wolves.
The results leave Renfrew in fourth place in the Valley Division of the Eastern Ontario Junior Hockey League.
Luckily, the Almonte Thunder is playing just well enough not to catch them.
Pontiacs 3, Wolves 2 (SO)
It’s amazing the role specialty teams can play in the outcome of a hockey game, even when there’s as few as six penalties.
Each team netted a powerplay goal in the opening period Friday night in Shawville.
The Wolves grabbed a 2-0 lead on goals from Sean Kyte on a powerplay, and Matt McIntyre 25 seconds apart.
But Mackenzie Vezina got one back for the Pontiacs on their own powerplay 39 seconds later.
It was late in the second period when the Wolves squandered a golden opportunity.
Still leading 2-1, the Wolves were unable to convert a seven-minute advantage when Vezina took exception to a Dylan Zavitske check on a teammate and got himself thrown out of the game.
Not only did the Wolves fail to add to the lead, they allowed a shorthanded goal off the stick of former Timberwolf Tyler Charbonneau on a beautiful individual effort to tie the game at 18:17.
Neither the Wolves Matt Schroeder nor Shawville goaltending counterpart Danick Boisvert flinched in the third period or five-minute overtime, leaving the issue to be settled in a shootout.
Colin Bradbury and Scott Conroy failed to connect, but Dallas Farr did score to keep the Wolves in contention.
However, after Shawville’s Charbonneau missed his chance, Christopher Bones and Julian Dumont both scored to win it for the Pontiacs.
The Wolves enjoyed a 35-25 shots edge but couldn’t cash in, particularly in the third period.
Stittsville 7, Wolves 2
Alex Hulford had a four-goal performance and netminder Karsten Pankhurst turned aside 36 Renfrew shots to earn the victory.
The Royals opened the middle frame with five goals in the first 10:38 to break open a 1-0 game.
Tanner Smith and Casey Doner scored for the Wolves, also in the second period.
By then, Stittsville had a 6-0 lead.
Nicolas Hodgins went the distance between the Renfrew pipes. He faced 30 Stittsville shots.
The game got fiesty at times with the Wolves losing Ryan Eady and Lyle Stressman through head-check calls, and Matthew McIntyre and Scott Conroy in fights.
Stittsville also lost two players for checking from behind, including veteran Matt Kadolph just 31 seconds in.
The Wolves have just one game this week, but it’s a big one if they hope to climb any higher than fourth place before the end of the regular season.
The Arnprior Packers visit the Ma-Te-Way Activity Centre Friday at 8 p.m.