Falcons hold off Junior Canadians
Carson Edwardson has put his best foot forward so far in the playoffs for the St. Catharines Falcons.
The 19-year-old centre had a fine regular season statistically with 30 goals and 60 points in only 39 games, and has picked up right where he left off in the post-season.
Edwardson collected a goal and assist as the Falcons defeated the Welland Junior Canadians 5-2 Friday night to take a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League, Golden Horseshoe Conference quarter-final playoff series.
St. Catharines can take a commanding 3-0 lead with a win in Game 3 Sunday in Welland.
Edwardson said the playoffs are a different animal after six months of a regular season which sees all eight teams qualify for the post-season.
“You have to be more cautious and better in the D zone,” he said. “Playoff hockey is more of a grind and teams are finishing their checks — especially these guys (Welland) trying to play with us.”
Edwardson, who collected a pair of goals in the series opener Tuesday, said the Falcons had a meeting following the regular season regarding having the proper mind set heading into the playoffs.
“We (talked about) guys knowing their roles and we’ve been right on it so far,” he said.
Falcons coach/general manager Frank Girhiny has liked what he’s seen from the former Erie Otter so far in the series.
“He can be an impact player,” Girhiny said. “If he plays the game the right way, he’s going to get a lot of opportunities.
“He’s a 30-goal scorer and he was our best face-off man tonight.”
Edwardson is currently centring an effective line between Kyle West and Xavier Drummond.
“The lines are balanced really well,” Girhiny said. “If he’s going, that line is going to go.
“He’s a key part of the team and one of the guys we have to rely on game in and game out.”
The Falcons grabbed a 2-0 lead after one period, outshooting Welland 16-9.
Welland played their best period of the series in the second and narrowed the gap to 2-1 when Mathew Maidens scored a short-handed goal. The Falcons got that one back towards the end of the period when West scored.
The Junior Canadians made things interesting with a late goal by Quinn Chevers before the Falcons netted a pair of empty net goals.
Girhiny said he could feel his club might be in for a tough night before the puck was even dropped.
“You could tell how we were getting ready for the game there was zero intensity level,” he said. “It’s a race to four (wins) and we have two.
“I’m sure we’ll bounce back, but it wasn’t a very good game for us. Give them credit, they played real hard.”
The Junior Canadians have now dropped 22 straight games dating back to the regular season.
Falcon facts: Adam Pys, Jack Venneri and Noah Blakely did not dress for the Falcons . . . Erik Nelson, Anthony Vigliatore and Dryden Rivet were scratched for the Junior Canadians . . . Welland lost Aaron Chiarot for a check from behind in the second period
Falcons 5 Junior Canadians 2
BPSN Star of the Game: St. Catharines forward Carson Edwardson with a goal and an assist.
St. Catharines Falcons: Edwardson (3); Christian Girhiny (2); Jacob Kelly (1); Kyle West (1); Andrew Somerville (1).
Welland Junior Canadians: Matthew Maidens (1); Quinn Chevers (1).
Game stats: Shots on goal: By St. Catharines on Carter Kurcz (48), by Welland on Noah Battaglia (29); Power plays: St. Catharines 1-for-6, Welland 0-for-6; Penalty minutes: St. Catharines 12, Welland 12.
Attendance: 490
Up next: Games 3 and 4 are in Welland Sunday at 7 p.m. and Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., respectively.
Canucks 8 Regals 2
The Niagara Falls Canucks opened their quarter-final series with a convincing win over the visiting Lockport Regals Friday at the Gale Centre.
Patrick McCabe and Dillon Hill scored two goals each for the winners while singles went to Andrew Bruno, Justin Randhawa, Ben Evans and Brandon Bastasin.
Tim Lopez and Erich Thur replied for the Regals, who were outshot 44-18.
Game 2 is Sunday at 4:30 p.m. in Niagara Falls.
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