Falcons clip Kilty B’s in OT
Blake Yetman scored in overtime to give the St. Catharines Falcons a 3-2 win at Hamilton Thursday. File photo: BILL POTRECZ.
The St. Catharines Falcons exacted a measure of revenge on the Hamilton Kilty B’s Thursday night.
Less than a week after dropping a 3-1 decision at home to the Kilty B’s, the Falcons turned the tables and emerged with a 3-2 overtime victory at the Dave Andreychuk Mountain Arena.
The teams, which met in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League finals last season won by the Falcons, have split four games this season.
“Was nice to finish the game with a road win,” Falcons coach Tyler Bielby said. “That being said, we are still searching for that full 60 minutes. First 20 minutes tonight was by far our worst performance of the season. We dug ourselves a hole down 2-0 and had to play catch up all game.
“Proud of the way the team responded after the first period. We got a little more stuck in and were rewarded for bringing our compete level up.”
Blake Yetman scored just 51 seconds into overtime to give the Falcons their league-leading 14th victory.
“Yetman was clutch in OT and buried when he got his chance,” Bielby said. “More importantly, I thought Yetman competed on both sides of the ice tonight. He made a great play to strip the puck which led to his OT winner. He would not have been in that position if he wasn’t committed on the other side of the puck.”
St. Catharines, 14-3-1, lead Hamilton by two points and the Fort Erie Meteors by four points for first place.
Yetman’s eighth goal of the season was assisted by captain Jonah Boria and newcomer Cameron Lowe, playing his first game for the Falcons after starting the season with the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League.
Lowe, an 18-year-old native of Niagara Falls, was a seventh-round selection of the Otters in 2020.
Hamilton jumped out to a 2-0 lead in goals by Zach Vaillancourt and Jackson Gruber in the first period.
Lucas Tuin got the Falcons back to within one with his first junior goal early in the second period before Zach Mizzi tied the game at 2-2 at the 8:31 mark of the third with his first junior marker.
Josh Johnson made 38 saves in net for the Falcons.
“We tip our cap to Josh,” Bielby said. “The game could have been out of reach after the first period if Josh didn’t show up tonight. We told him after the first period to shut the door the rest of the way and the boys will find a way to get the win. That they did.”
Gabriel Longo kicked out 42 shots in goal for Hamilton.
St. Catharines plays host to the Pelham Panthers Friday at the Seymour-Hanna Sports Complex at 7 p.m.
“It will be very important we get off our feet early,” Bielby said.
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