Austin Thompson scored a hat trick and Alec Mackenzie put up three assists as the Chatham Maroons defeated the Strathroy Rockets 8-3 at the annual Teddy Bear Toss night at Memorial Arena.
The win puts the Maroons in a tie for second place with the London Nationals in the GOJHL Western Conference with 39 points, four points behind the leading LaSalle Vipers.
Thompson got his night started just 53 seconds into the game with his first goal, on the power play. The Maroons made it 2-0 at 4:22 with a tally from Teddy McGeen. Dillon Saunders tied things up for the Rockets with two consecutive goals, so it was a 2-2 tie right after the halfway point of the period. Thompson answered back at 15:31 with his second goal of the night before Strathroy's Spencer Allen tied things up again a few minutes later for a 3-3 tie at the first intermission.
The second period featured the rest of the scoring for the game, all from the Maroons. Thompson completed his hat trick at 5:04 into the period and Nolan VandenBoorn extended the lead at 7:53. The remaining goals were scored by Bryce Yetman, Josh Barraclough and Mackenzie. Strathroy goalie Dan Davies was pulled about halfway through the period and replaced by Zach Weir.
There was no scoring in the third period.
Maroons goalie Brendan Johnston faced 48 Strathroy shots and knocked away 45 of them.
The Maroons will visit the Vipers Wednesday night in a key conference battle. Puck drops at 7pm and the action can be heard on CFCO Country 92.9 and AM630. The Rockets will travel to Leamington Thursday.
