Junior B roundup: Kilty B's sweep Hawks; Falcons advance; Canucks rebound

Trevor Neumann emptied his tank in a valiant attempt to extend his junior hockey career just a little bit longer.

The 20-year-old centre left it all on the ice as the Thorold Blackhawks season came to an end Wednesday night with a 4-0 loss to the Hamilton Kilty B’s at Thorold Arena.

The Kilty B’s swept the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League, Golden Horseshoe Conference best-of-seven quarter-final playoff series 4-0, much to the surprise of many who figured the matchup would be the most competitive of the four first-round series.

Neumann emerged from a silent Blackhawks dressing room with his jersey still on to reflect on the game and the series.

“It’s just the way the hockey gods are sometime,” Neumann said. “We worked our butts off all year. We were fighting and battling and just couldn’t get it in the back of the net.”

The Blackhawks fired 49 shots at Hamilton goaltender Justin Easter, who was named the game’s first star for his brilliant effort.

“We hits posts, shots on nets, misses — whatever, we just couldn’t score,” Neumann said. “We all worked hard and deserved a lot more.”

Neumann’s final few minutes as a Blackhawk were spent on the ice shaking hands with the Kilty B’s, then embracing captain Dylan Latty and head coach Scott Barnes before finally leaving the ice for the final time in Thorold.

“I was thinking about it all day at work,” he said. “I was thinking it wasn’t going to be my last junior game. It was hard not to think about it. I just wanted to have fun and enjoy every moment because it doesn’t last forever.”

Neumann, who is attending Morrisville College next season to continue his career, choked up when asked what he is going to miss most about playing for the Blackhawks.

“I’m going to miss it a lot. Thorold is my second home and these guys are my brothers,” he said.

Barnes couldn’t believe how unfortunate the Hawks were around Hamilton’s net for the entire series.

“The four games, it was unbelievable,” he said. “I feel we outplayed them in at least three of them. Going into this game I told the boys we were the better team for six of the nine periods so far and we were down 3-0.

“You don’t get points for being the better team.”

Barnes said the Hawks hit several posts and crossbars during the series.

“It was just incredible,” he said. “It sometimes just doesn’t add up.”

Barnes felt with a break or two, the series could still be on going.

“I’m sure if you talk to those guys (Hamilton) they are gonna think they are pretty lucky getting a four-game sweep because they didn’t outplay us for four games, that’s for sure.”

Latty, Ben Varga and Mitch Britton also played their final games of junior.

“You’re seeing four kids who are done their junior careers, so that’s tough,” Barnes said. “We still have some good players coming back so it is glass half full, but it is tough to swallow right now because we really felt we were going to win the series and we were the better team.”

Hawk talk: Ethan Mercer, Alex Blanchard and Rylee Hlusiak did not dress for the Blackhawks . . . Ellis Rickwood was scratched for the Kilty B’s.

STATS PACK

Kilty B’s 3 Blackhawks 0

BPSN Star of the Game: Hamilton goaltender Justin Easter with 49 saves for the shutout.

Thorold Blackhawks: No scoring.

Hamilton Kilty B’s: Steve Laforme (4); Eli Rivers (2); Freddie Teeple (2).

Game stats: Shots on goal: By Thorold on Easter (49), by Hamilton on Noah Fortuna (41).

Attendance: 400 (estimated)

Up next: The Kilty B’s move on to the semifinals.

FALCONS 3 PANTHERS 0

The St. Catharines Falcons blanked the Pelham Panthers in Pelham Wednesday to complete the four-game sweep.

“Time to rest up and get ready for the next series,” Falcons coach Tyler Bielby said. “We are very happy with our commitment to the D zone. We had two shutouts in the series and five goals against. As a coach I am very pleased with that part of our game. It’s always nice to score goals, but real competitors take just as much pride in committing to D zone.”

Noah Blakely scored twice for the Falcons while Matt Barazin added one.

Ethan Cook made 16 saves for the shutout.

The Falcons will now await their opponent which will depend on the outcome of the Niagara Falls-Fort Erie series. The Canucks lead 3-1 and can advance with a win at home Friday.

“We will enjoy the moment as we have many players who have never won a junior playoff series, however, it will be short-lived as we know this is just one step in the journey. When we wake up tomorrow it’s on to the next series. It’s always nice to finish a team off early.

“We now get back to practice, rest up, and get ready for he next step in the journey.”

CANUCKS 5 METEORS 1

The Niagara Falls Canucks rebounded from a 1-0 loss in Game 3 to defeat the Meteors Wednesday in Fort Erie.

Carson Edwardson, Jaleel Adams, Matthew Riva, Andrew Bruno and Sam Bourdages scored for the Canucks.

Blake Hall replied for the Mets.

Anthony Tremonte made 36 saves in goal for the win.

Jacob Hearne faced 44 shots for Fort Erie.

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