Canucks double Falcons to move into first
Patrick McCabe can be an infuriating player to watch, much less play against.
The 20-year-old winger is an agitator extraordinaire, never at a loss for words or unwilling to mix it up.
The St. Catharines native was at his best — and worst — Monday as the Niagara Falls Canucks doubled the St. Catharines Falcons 4-2 in a Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League, Golden Horseshoe Conference game at the Gale Centre.
McCabe took a needless unsportsmanlike penalty early in the third period, but more than made up for it when he netted the game-winning goal later in the frame. It was McCabe’s fourth game winner of the season.
“It (felt) pretty good,” McCabe said. “I’ve been putting up points this year so I’m really proud of myself and my game.
“We have a good group of guys here and everything is positive for the most part, so to be able to chip in offensively like that is a big part of the game.”
Canucks coach Frank Pietrangelo has a long history with McCabe.
“We know what he’s all about,” Pietrangelo said. “He’s been good for the last 15 games since he came back from suspension.
“He’s been really good for us and scored some big goals. He got the game winner in Pelham the other night. We like Pat’s game.”
McCabe is winding down his junior career and has high hopes the Canucks can make a long playoff run.
“It’s amazing. We’ve always put together a good team but this is a team where we can go pretty far. I think we have a good shot at winning it all,” he said.
The Canucks grabbed a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes when Mitch Mendonca netted his 30th of the season. Each team collected eights shots on net in a period that saw the Falcons assessed four minor penalties and the Canucks three.
Niagara Falls scored the lone goal of the middle period when Matthew Riva pounced on a juicy rebound and beat Noah Battaglia for his 18th of the season. The Canucks outshot the Falcons 12-4 in the period.
The Falcons saved their best for the third period and by the halfway point had tied the game on goals from Joe Colasurdo and Christian Girhiny. McCabe’s winner came only 25 seconds after the Falcons had finally tied the game.
“We score and they scored on the next shift, that’s a cardinal sin,” Falcons coach/general manager Frank Girhiny said.
The Canucks lead the Falcons by one point for first place. Each team has three games remaining.
The Canucks play Lockport, Pelham and Welland while the Falcons are home to Lockport Tuesday, host Hamilton Friday and visit Pelham Sunday to round out their schedule.
“We’ve been telling our guys for months that we’ve controlled our own destiny,” Pietrangelo said. “We just have to win our games.
“This was huge. We had to win.”
The Canucks took the season series 4-2.
“That was a tough game. It was a chess match. You don’t want to give up too much and I thought we did a good job of that,” Pietrangelo said. “I thought we deserved win. I thought we were the better team.”
Girhiny felt the Falcons got better as the game went on.
“I thought the first period wasn’t very good and the second period we were stronger. We didn’t score, but it carried into the third,” he said.
The tight checking could be a preview of what’s to come in the playoffs.
“It’s going to be tight for sure and that’s where our guys have to realize they have to be in position,” he said. “It’s a game of possession and they’re going to get some chances and we’re going to get some chances.”
Junior B jottings: Nicholas Prestia and Garrett Downie did not dress for the Falls . . . Ethan Sims, Dawson McKinney and Tanner Brown were scratched for the Falcons . . . The Falcons added defenceman Josh Urbshott from the Niagara Riverhawks junior C team . . . Niagara Falls forward Justin Kyle was named the Golden Horseshoe Conference offensive player of the month for January . . . Falcons forward Noah Blakely left the game early with an apparent shoulder injury . . . In games Saturday Pelham doubled Lockport 6-3 while Fort Erie edged Welland 3-1. The Panthers also defeated the Junior Canadians 5-2 Sunday in Welland.
Canucks 4 Falcons 2
BPSN Star of the Game: Falls forward Mitch Mendonca with two goals.
Niagara Falls Canucks: Mendonca 2 (30, 31); Matthew Riva (18); Patrick McCabe (18).
St. Catharines Falcons: Christian Girhiny (32); Joe Colasurdo (4).
Game stats: Shots on goal: By Niagara Falls on Noah Battaglia (23), by St. Catharines on Zach Moore (21); Power plays: Niagara Falls 0-for-3, St. Catharines 0-for-7; Penalty minutes: St. Catharines 12, Niagara Falls. 26
Attendance: 712.
Up next: The Falcons host the Lockport Regals Tuesday at 7 p.m. in a make-up game from earlier this month. The game was originally slated for Lockport but will be played in St. Catharines with the Regals being the home team. The Canucks are home to Pelham Friday.
Hawks 6 Meteors 1
Trevor Neumann collected two goals and two assists to pace the Thorold Blackhawks past the Fort Erie Meteors Monday afternoon at the Leisureplex.
Cam Lightfoot, Jonathan Balah, Evan Miller and Nick Gidney added singles.
Anthony Gigliotti replied for the Mets.
Noah Fortuna made 31 saves in net for the win.
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