Falcons dominate Kilty B's | BP Sports Niagara

The St. Catharines Falcons delivered a strong message to the Hamilton Kilty B’s Friday night.

The Kilty B’s have correctly been the talk of the Golden Horseshoe over the first half of the season, leading the standings from pretty much from Day 1 of the season.

The Kilty B’s topped the Falcons in their previous three meetings, but Friday the Falcons turned the tables and came away with a convincing 6-0 win at Jack Gatecliff Arena.

The win moves the Falcons (20-5) to within four points of the Kilty B’s for first place.

“Oh my god, it’s amazing,” Falcons forward Mitchell Armstrong said. “I can’t even speak right now. I’m shaking. We’ve lost to them a couple of times already so the boys were all jacked up.

“With COVID, we don’t know how many more games we’re going to get so we’re going to give it all, every game.”

Assistant coach Greg Jambrosich was thrilled with the outcome.

“Obviously it’s been a little bit of preparation and build up to the game,” said Jambrosich, who was subbing suspended Falcons head coach Tyler Bielby. “I was very happy with our start. Getting out to a 4-0 lead in the first period it kind of set the tone and dictate the game.

“It’s a process for us right now and to be a great team you have to beat a great team.”

Bielby was given a one-game suspension by the Greater Ontario Hockey League Friday while Kilty B’s coach CJ Morrison was banished for two games as part of a series of suspensions. For more information, see: https://www.bpsportsniagara.com/gojhl-penalizes-five-teams-for-covid-infractions/

The Falcons earlier this season blew a 4-0 lead against the Niagara Falls Canucks and had to settle for tie in a shootout loss.

This time the Falcons made sure history did not repeat itself.

“The initial conversation is we have been here before and let’s learn what caused it to go south and let’s make sure we’re keeping it simple,” Jambrosich said.

Armstrong said the Falcons’ strategy was to ignore the scoreboard after the first period.

“Treat it as though it was a 0-0 game. Just go back out there with the same mindset as the start of the game,” he said.

Armstrong was held off the scoresheet Friday but his value to the Falcons goes well beyond his offensive production.

“I just try and contribute as much as I can,” the Grade 12 student at Sir Winston Churchill said. “I know with the guys we have in there and the goals will come. I put trust in them and I just try to do my job and my part.”

Armstrong, who normally centres an effective energy line with Jagger North and Owen Simpson on his wings, is one of four forwards on the Falcons penalty killing unit (along with Simpson, Nate Robertson and Trent Glenney) which leads the entire GOJHL in percentage, permitting just three goals in 69 opportunities this season.

“Just the fact coach gives us a lot of time to work on it and the communication and chemistry we have in the room, we’re brothers so if anyone does fail we know our brothers are going to have our back,” Armstrong said when asked the key to the club’s outstanding penalty killing this season.

Jambrosich loves Armstrong’s skill set on the PK.

“Obviously time and space is everything on the kill and his speed is lethal,” Jambrosich said. “He has that read of taking plays away and has those smarts to protect the house. It’s a role he’s really coming into and something we feel he can harness and get even better.”

Andrew MacLean made 32 saves for his sixth shutout of the season. The whitewash lowered his goals-against average to 1.54 to go along with a .943 save percentage.

His counterpart, Gage Stewart, is also having an outstanding season. He now sports a 1.77 GAA and .932 save percentage.

Following the game, MacLean sought out Stewart for a chat that ended in a quick embrace.

Falcon facts: Bielby enacted the services of former Welland Cougars’ defenceman Erich Paroshy to help behind the bench . . . The Pelham Panthers edged the Niagara Falls Canucks 4-3 at Niagara Falls Friday. Canucks top scorers Matthew Riva and Tanner McEachern were not in the lineup.

STATS PACK

Falcons 6 Kilty B’s 0

Falcons forward Mitchell Armstrong.

For the St. Catharines Falcons: Chris Reid (10); Jagger North (8); Blake Yetman (7); Nate Robertson (7); Logan O’ Flannagan (4); Trent Glenney (3).

For the Hamilton Kilty B’s: No scoring.

Game stats: Shots on goal: By St. Catharines on Gage Stewart (30), by Hamilton on Andrew MacLean (32); Power plays: St. Catharines 1-for-3, Hamilton 0-for-4; Penalty minutes: St. Catharines 8, Hamilton 16.

Attendance: 372

Up next: The Falcons travel to Niagara Falls for a 3 p.m. start Sunday for their final game before the Christmas break.

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