Falcons, Kilty B’s square off for third
The St. Catharines Falcons host the Hamilton Kilty B’s Friday in a showdown for third place. Photo by: BILL POTRECZ
The final week of the regular season in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League, Golden Horseshoe Conference features eight remaining games, but only one of significance.
All eight playoff spots have been secured while the Caledonia Corvairs long ago locked up first place overall. Monday in Niagara Falls, the Canucks secured second place with a 3-0 win over the St. Catharines Falcons.
What remains to be seen is who will finish in third place.
The Falcons hold down third spot with 65 points, just one ahead of Hamilton Kilty B’s, who defeated the Buffalo Regals 7-1 Monday.
The schedule maker did a great job as the Kilty B’s visit the Falcons Friday in a showdown for third spot in the final regular season game for both teams.
The Kilty B’s hold a 3-2 lead in a close season series which has seen all five previous games decided by two goals or fewer.
The importance of finishing third comes down to the second round where if all top four seeds advance — something that is far from a given — the team finishing third will play Niagara Falls while the team in fourth would take on the powerful Corvairs.
Of course, should there be an upset in the first round — the Thorold Blackhawks will have something to say about that — then all bets are off.
The Blackhawks topped the Pelham Panthers 3-0 Monday in Pelham as Alex Blanchard, Rylee Hlusiak and Nick Gidney scored.
Chase Grsic made 20 saves for the shutout while Tiago Rocha faced 48 shots in net for the Panthers.
Corvairs 4 Meteors 1
Caledonia jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period en route to a 4-1 win over the Fort Erie Meteors Monday at the Leisureplex.
Matthew Bridgwater, Colt Corpse, Cole Tymkin and Marino Moro scored for the winners.
Drew Passero replied for the Mets.
Aidan Hughes made 31 saves in net for the win.
Dalton McBride faced 42 shots in goal for Fort Erie.
Kilty B’s 7 Regals 1
The Hamilton Kilty B’s broke open a close game with six goals in the second period in an easy win over the visiting Buffalo Regals Monday night in Hamilton.
Jordan VanHuunik, Steve Laforme, Nick Giamou, Yon Shimpo, Mark Benn, Jacob McEachern and Freddie Teeple scored for Hamilton.
Brendan Krawczyk replied for Buffalo.
Standings
1. Caledonia 48-43-4-0-1-87
2. Niagara Falls 48-33-11-2-2-70
3. St. Catharines 49-32-15-2-66
4. Hamilton 49-31-15-2-1-65
5. Thorold 47-24-19-2-2-52
6. Pelham 48-17-28-0-3-37
7. Fort Erie 48-14-29-2-4-24
8. Buffalo 49-9-34-2-4-24
9. Welland 48-5-39-3-1-14
This week
Wednesday
Welland at Buffalo, 7 p.m.
Thursday
Fort Erie at Thorold, 7:07 p.m.
Friday
Hamilton at St. Catharines, 7 p.m.
Caledonia at Niagara Falls, 7 p.m.
Saturday
Pelham at Fort Erie, 7:15 p.m.
Thorold at Caledonia, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday
Niagara Falls at Pelham, 2:30 p.m.
Thorold at Welland, 7:05 p.m.
End regular season
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