With their season teetering on mediocrity, the Oakville Blades welcomed nearly a full house to this past weekend's games due to the ongoing Oakville Rangers Winter Classic tournament.
Sixteen-Mile Sports Complex was louder than I've heard it in months, with the energy in the building translated to the play on the ice as Oakville earned two crucial wins against Georgetown and Aurora.
Friday night saw the Blades erase multiple two-goal deficits - the team had a fight in them that hasn’t been seen in previous games where the team was trailing early.
The group believed they could win the game, and the fans knew it too.
Midway through the second period, the Blades were down 4-2. But a goal by newly acquired Noah Tyrell started the comeback. Once the third period started, Oakville was still down a single goal.
Near the halfway mark, the team capitalized on a chance and Kenny Belanger scored his first as Blade to tie the game 4-4.
Then in the final five minutes of regulation, Cormick Smallegange scored from the blue line to give Oakville the lead. The Blades did not relinquish their lead and won 5-4 in a great game.
The next day against Aurora was a different story, with the arena was still packed with fans and even a live band, but the game was not close by the end.
The game was 3-2 Oakville at the halfway mark of the second period, but a goal by Kenny Belanger with just over two minutes left in the second period made the score 4-2 Blades.
Oakville has had a tendency in past games to let teams back into the game once they have a lead but this game was not one of those times.
The Blades added three goals to their 4-2 lead finishing the game with a 7-2 win, sending their fans home happy. Oakville still currently sits sixth in the Western Conference right behind the fifth-place Georgetown Raiders.
Oakville's next home game will be this Saturday, January 27 at 7 p.m.