Junior Canadians frustrate Falcons
The Welland Junior Canadians are quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with.
The Junior Canadians, coming off back-to-back wins last weekend over the Fort Erie Meteors, made it three victories in a row with a well-earned 4-1 triumph over the St. Catharines Falcons in a Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League game Friday at Jack Gatecliff Arena.
The Junior Canadians, 13-18, trail the Meteors by four points although Fort Erie holds three games in hand.
The Falcons, who dominated the Caledonia Corvairs 6-0 last Saturday, dropped to 25-7-0-1.
Falcons coach Tyler Bielby tipped his cap to the Junior Canadians.
“There’s no question they’re well coached (Dave Burkholder, Zenon Konopka) and further to that, the intensity. Those kids across the way want every puck and want every shift,” Bielby said. “It starts from the time the puck drops until the end and tonight I didn’t think we took on that mentality until the third period.
“The better team ended up winning because they put the effort in for three periods.”
Falcons forward Nichola Rubino, who hails from Welland, acknowledged the Junior Canadians’ work ethic.
“They all just battle. They work hard and come together,” he said.
Balice, who two weeks ago turned in a stellar effort in St. Catharines only to lose 4-3 in overtime, kicked out 40 shots and made several saves from point-blank range. The 19-year-old native of Niagara Falls began the season with the Thorold Blackhawks where he was winless in 10 games before being dealt to the Junior Canadians where he has found his game, sporting a 2.92 goals-against average and .926 save percentage.
“Hats off to Balice,” Rubino said
Welland led 2-0 after 40 minutes on goals from Patrick Cole and Lucas Romeo.
The Falcons finally got on the board nine seconds into the third when Blake Yetman scored his 10th on a perfect shot to beat Balice, but the Junior Canadians responded with a power-play goal halfway through the period and then iced the game away with an empty netter.
Bielby would like to see more offence from his team.
“I challenge our depth after a game like tonight. Rubino and Yetman and that top line have filled the net,” he said. “We were five-for-six in Caledonia on the power play and on a night like tonight when they’re struggling to score, we need some other guys to find ways and step up and be difference makers and tonight they didn’t.”
The Falcons are right back at it with afternoon games in Pelham Sunday and Niagara Falls Monday on Family Day.
“We get back to work in practice and make sure we’re bearing down around the net. I think we had our fair share of scoring chances — there was no lack of that — but we were on the perimeter a little bit and reaching around their net and we can’t do that,” Bielby said. “I think we can bring the intensity up.”
Falcon facts: Cal Reesor and Matthew Stranges did not dress for the Falcons . . . Declan Fogarty and Grant Morton were scratched for the Junior Canadians . . . Falcons forward Jagger North and Welland defenceman Noah Patrick dropped the gloves late in the second . . . The Thorold Blackhawks edged the Niagara Falls Canucks 2-1 Friday . . . Bielby was given the heave-ho by officials in the third period.
STATS PACK
Welland goaltender Nico Balice with 40 saves.
Junior Canadians 4 Falcons 1
St. Catharines Falcons: Blake Yetman (10).
Welland Junior Canadians: Patrick Cole (10); Peter Spameni (8); Taylor Ewing (6); Lucas Romeo (3).
Game stats: Shots on goal: By St. Catharines on Nico Balice (41), by Welland on Andrew MacLean (25); Power plays: St. Catharines 0-for-3, Welland 0-for-3; Penalty minutes: St. Catharines 13, Welland 13.
Attendance: 338
Up next: The Falcons are at Pelham Sunday at 2:45 and Niagara Falls Monday at 3 p.m. The Junior Canadians host Fort Erie Sunday.
Dear reader. If you liked this story or one of the 3,900 other stories found on our website, please consider hitting the Support Us button on the right-hand side of our home page and making a PayPal contribution to our website. Your support would be much appreciated. If you are a business owner, please consider advertising on our site. Our rates are reasonable and we provide plenty of exposure for your business. Contact bpotrecz@outlook.com for more information.
