Good day for Falcons rookie
Owen Day had a night he will never forget.
The 17-year-old, Grade 12 student at Holy Cross scored his first junior goal as the Falcons topped the Welland Junior Canadians 7-3 in a Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League, Golden Horseshoe Conference game Friday at the Seymour-Hanna Sports Complex.
“It was awesome. A lot of history around the Falcons organization and coming off a Sutherland Cup win, it was a really special moment to get that first one,” Day smiled.
Day witnessed the Falcons receive their Sutherland Cup championship rings before the game, then ensured he would enjoy a special moment of his own.
After the game, he was presented with the puck from his first goal.
“I don’t really know but it’s going somewhere in my house. I’ll definitely have that for the rest of his life,” he said. “It was a very special moment.”
Falcons coach Tyler Bielby was thrilled for the hard working rookie.
“He’s a young man who I’ve known for a couple of years APing and coming to practice and he just works and works and works,” Bielby said. “He loves the game of hockey.
“There is only one speed for him —100 per cent — and he was rewarded tonight with a nice goal.”
Day enjoys his role as an energy player.
“I’m not really the guy who’s going to put up a lot of points but I’m kind of a multi-tool,” the 5-foot-9, 146-pound winger said. “I get the boys going. I’m an energy player. I get the puck in deep and work my tail off.”
Bielby said players such as Day will always have a spot on his team.
“We saw a lot of value in guys like Mitch Armstrong and Owen Simpson last year and we knew Day could bring something similar. We had our eye on him and committed to him pretty early,” he said. “They gave us our energy tonight. It was 2-2 and it was our depth lines that got us a couple of quick goals and it woke up some other guys and they started putting the puck away.”
The Falcons opened the regular season with a 3-2 win Thursday in Hamilton. Friday’s game was the club’s home opener and first at their new rink.
Several players from last season’s championship team were in attendance to receive their rings and see the Sutherland Cup championship banner raised.
“Once you win together there’s a bond, there’s a relationship that will be there forever,” Bielby said. “When I saw those guys it was just like I saw them yesterday. Don’t like distractions as a coach, don’t like extra guys in the dressing room, but tonight I was willing to live with it.”
Falcon facts: There is no coach’s room available so Bielby and his staff are using a portable trailer in the parking lot . . . Good to see Frank Girhiny, Sr., in attendance and looking good after hip replacement surgery . . . The Falcons had video equipment stolen from the press box at Jack Gatecliff Arena where it was being stored.
Falcons 7 Junior Canadians 3
St. Catharines rookie Owen Day with his first junior goal.
St. Catharines Falcons: Day 1; Nate Shirton 2 (1,2); Kyle Glenney (1); Jonah Boria (1); Jagger North (1); Nate Robertson (1).
Welland Junior Canadians: Billy Loughnane (1); Colton Corby (1); Danel Thomas (1).
Game stats: Power plays: St. Catharines 0/1, Welland 0/2; Penalty minutes: St. Catharines 4, Welland 2.
Attendance: 478.
Up next: The Falcons host Pelham next Friday.
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