Falcons give one away
Tyler Bielby’s mood shifted from elation to frustration in a matter of just a few minutes Friday night.
The head coach of the St. Catharines Falcons didn’t mince words after watching his team drop a 4-3 overtime decision to the visiting Hamilton Kilty B’s in Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League action at the Seymour-Hanna Sports Complex.
“It’s early enough in the season we can take it as a teachable, but at the same time, I’m done with silver linings,” Bielby said. “It was 3-0 with 10 minutes left in the third period and they got out-competed, out-willed when it mattered the most.
“They have to do some gut checking to understand if they can compete.”
Bielby was particularly upset with his veterans.
“It wasn’t even so much foot off the pedal, I have returning guys I expect to be a lot better when we’re up,” he said. “When I put you on the ice and need to be able to lean on you, we can’t be in a position where my comfort level defensively is with a bunch of first-year guys. I need to be able to lean on the guys that are going to be able to defend and the truth is, tonight at the end of the game, they didn’t get the job done.
“They start to cheat, they start to pressure and start to push and this is where we end up.”
Bielby said it’s important not to overact to one loss, but that doesn’t mean the effort was acceptable.
“You’re not hitting any panic buttons but this is the time of year where you’re building trust with the coach,” he said. “Everybody is watching at this time of year and when you have letdowns like this, we’ll dissect the lineup and figure out where we’re doing wrong.”
Kyle Glenney netted his second of the season to give the Falcons a 1-0 lead after one period.
Following a scoreless middle frame, Nathan Robertson and Cam Knight, with his first as a Falcon, gave St. Catharines a 3-0 lead with 15 minutes to play.
“I thought we gave everything we had for about the first 50 minutes of the game and the result was a 3-0 lead,” Bielby said.
The Kilty B’s began their comeback when Zachary Gratton scored at the 8:36 mark. Nathan Phillips got Hamilton to within one at the 13:35 mark before Brodie McIntyre tied the game at 16:30.
Matthew Downie then scored at the 2:53 mark of OT to complete the comeback.
Bielby said the message to the team following the game was a simple one.
“Feel it. Take it all in and feel it because you gave up a three-goal lead at home. You can’t. You have to be a lot better.”
Falcons facts: Former Falcon and Ontario Hockey League winger Dawson McKinney has joined the Kilty B’s . . . In other games Friday the Niagara Falls Canucks topped the Pelham Panthers 6-2 and the Welland Junior Canadians edged the Thorold Blackhawks 3-2.
Hamilton’s Matthew Downie with the winner in overtime.
Kilty B’s 4 Falcons 3 OT
St. Catharines Falcons: Nate Robertson (4); Kyle Glenney (2); Cam Knight (1).
Hamilton Kilty B’s: Downie (1); Nathan Phillips (6); Brody McIntyre (3); Zachary Gratton (1).
Game stats: Shots on goal: By St. Catharines on David Egorov (25), by Hamilton on Josh Johnson (35); Power plays: St. Catharines 0/3, Hamilton 0/2; Penalty minutes: St. Catharines 6, Hamilton 8.
Attendance: 377.
Up next: The Falcons visit Welland Sunday at 7 p.m.
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