Panthers outwork Falcons, earn upset win
Liam Wicks has been a godsend for the Pelham Panthers since his arrival in a trade with the Port Colborne Sailors.
The 21-year-old Cheektowaga, N.Y., native netted five goals and 12 points in 16 games for Pelham following the deal and has continued his fine play in the playoffs.
Wicks scored with 21 seconds remaining to break a 4-4 tie and give the Panthers a 5-4 upset victory over the St. Catharines Rankin Construction Falcons Tuesday night in St. Catharines.
The Falcons lead the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League best-of-seven quarter-final playoff series 2-1 with Game 4 in Pelham Thursday followed by Game 5 in St. Catharines Friday.
“That’s one of the biggest goals I’ve scored,” Wicks said. “I can’t name a bigger moment, especially the last few years what Pelham has gone through not beating them. Just to be part of that is amazing.”
Wicks then went on to give the Falcons some bulletin board fodder.
“They think they’re a little better than us but I think we’re better than them. I know we’re better than them,” Wicks said. “We all know we’re better than them, we just have to go out there and prove it every day.”
Pelham coach Zac Rinaldo tipped his cap to Wicks.
“Right now, he’s our engine, he’s our heartbeat,” Rinaldo said. “When he’s going, everyone is following behind him so he’s got to keep going and that’s my job to keep him healthy and in check and to put him in positions to succeed.”
The Falcons swept the regular season series 7-0, but Rinaldo said that doesn’t even enter the equation.
“It’s one thing we didn’t do all year is look at the standings or points lost or taken. We take every day like it’s going to be our last and that’s the mentality we take going forward,” he said.
“It (win) means everything to them and to our organization. We’ve been striding towards this for a week-and-a-half now preparing. We knew it was just a matter of time before we started buying into our game plan and our brand of hockey and it proved it tonight.”
Down the hall, Falcons general/manager coach Tyler Bielby was understandably seething.
“We beat ourselves. After two periods, we were outshooting that team 45-10 and the game is tied 4-4. The game ended 54-20 (61-19 on the game sheet) which means we got outshot in the third period which means that team outworked us in the third and that was with us having a five-on-three and a four-minute power play,” Bielby said. “We’re not winning anything if we let teams outwork us. We’ve not winning anything if we continue to take slashing penalties, tripping penalties, selfish penalties. These guys are still learning how to win. They better learn real quick because I’m done with the penalties.”
Bielby hinted he may make some lineup changes for Game 4.
“You try communicating. That’s my theme with players, I talk to them through these things and I guess every once in a while it gets thrown back in your face,” he said. “At this time of year the communicating is done. If you’re not going to play the game the right way, you’re not going to do the things you should do and show bad body language, you’re going to be sitting in the stands.”
Bielby had no time when asked if he thought the win might give the Panthers confidence going forward.
“They can be as high as they want. We’re worried about us, not them. I’m worried about our team and how we’re competing against ourselves and putting ourselves in the box. That’s what’s happening.”
The Falcons led 4-2 halfway through the third before goals by Josh Czalij and Brody Roberts 18 seconds apart pulled the Panthers even at 4-4.
The game appeared headed to overtime before Wicks scored goal at the end of a power play on a scramble in front of Falcons goaltender Hayden Jeffery.
Patrick Sutherland replaced Aidan Thompson in goal for Pelham and was outstanding in his first start of the series.
Falcon facts: Calvin Petrovsky, William Moore, Henry Attard, Trent Valliancourt and Dallys Hibbert were scratched for the Falcons . . . Thomas Sefton, Liam McFarland, Ty Boons and Aiden Thomspon did not dress for the Panthers.
STATS PACK
Panthers 5 Falcons 4
Pelham forward Liam Wicks with the winner.
St. Catharines Falcons: Tyler Hunt (3); Brenden Anderson (3); Zach Mambella (1); Treyson Dewar (1).
Pelham Panthers: Liam Wicks (3); Aiden Cupelli 2 (1, 2); Josh Czalij (1); Brady Roberts (1).
Game stats: Shots on goal: By St. Catharines on Patrick Sutherland (61), by Pelham on Hayden Jeffery (19); Power plays: St. Catharines 2/9, Pelham 2/6; Penalty minutes: St. Catharines 22; Pelham 18.
Attendance: 624
Up next: Game 4 Thursday in Pelham, 7 p.m. Game 5 Friday in St. Catharines at 7 p.m.
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