Falcons hold off Sugar Kings
No coach, no captain? No problem for the St. Catharines Falcons.
The Falcons went into their game versus the Elmira Sugar Kings shorthanded, missing suspended captain and leading scorer Caleb Thompson while general manager/head coach Tyler Bielby was also in the stands serving a suspension.
Add in that sniper Brenden Anderson was also out, along with a handful of other players, and the Falcons appeared ripe for the picking.
Instead, the Falcons turned in resilient effort, topping the Mid-West Conference leaders 4-2 Friday night at the Seymour-Hannah Sports Complex.
“Very proud,” assistant coach Joe Colasurdo said. “You could see in the second and third period, in particular, the boys were really strong working together. Everybody chipping in, everybody blocking shots and doing what they have to do to win.”
Colasurdo, who served as captain on the Falcons Sutherland Cup team two years ago, said it was imperative the team not feel sorry for themselves given the circumstances.
“We got a call 20 minutes before the game Anderson can’t play, no problem. We rejigged to lines and nobody panicked. We’ve been here before with guys injured and hurt. It’s nothing new, you just keep going.”
Following a scoreless first period, the Sugar Kings opened the scoring early in the second when Brenden Gerber netted a short-handed marker early in the period.
The Falcons the scored pair of goals 42 seconds apart in the second on a double minor to take a 2-1 lead before Marcus Harris netted an important insurance marker in the third to put St. Catharines up 3-1. The Sugar Kings got one back but Henry Attard scored into the empty net to squelch Emira’s comeback.
Harris was thrilled with the win.
“So proud, that’s unbelievable,” the rookie forward said. “That’s one of the best teams in the league and to come out and work so hard, I couldn’t be prouder of the boys.”
Harris said the Falcons are used to adversity.
“It’s nothing new. You just have to keep battling,” he said. “You just have to bite down on your mouthguard.”
Harris, an 18-year-old St. Catharines native, netted his third of the season at a crucial time.
“I haven’t scored in 20-something games. That was the best feeling,” he said. “It was right in front of my family. There’s nothing better than that.”
Harris played for the Niagara North Stars U18 AAA last season before making the jump to junior this year.
“You can’t take one night off,” he said. “It’s hard to realize that you have to do everything in junior. You can get traded and anything can happen. You can be a bottom six guy or a top six guy. You do what you have to do for the team.”
The Falcons were coming off a 4-3 win at Ayr Thursday that saw Matthew Hlcar, Tyler Hunt, Thompson and Anderson score.
Falcon facts: Cal Reesor, Mitch Dmytrow, Trent Vaillancourt, Caleb Thompson, Brendan Anderson and Zach Mambella did not dress for the Falcons . . . Falcons William Moore dropped the gloves with Elmira’s Taylor Bothwell in the second period.
STATS PACK
Falcons 4 Sugar Kings 2
Falcons rookie Marcus Harris.
For the St. Catharines Falcons: Matthew Hlacar (8); Marcus Harris (3); Henry Attard (3); Chris Reid (2).
For the Elmira Sugar Kings: Brenden Gerber (17); Luke Della Croce (15).
Game stats: Shots on goal: By St. Catharines on Liam Reid (24), by Elmira on Hayden Jeffery (37); Power plays: St. Catharines 2/6 Elmira 0/4; Penalty minutes: St. Catharines 27, Elmira 19.
Attendance: 447.
Up next: The Falcons host the Hamilton Kilty B’s Tuesday, are in Welland Wednesday and home to Pelham Friday, Dec. 22 before breaking for the Christmas holidays.
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