Junior hockey report: IceDogs still hot; Junior B results; Riverhawks power to victory
The Niagara IceDogs continue to roll on.
The IceDogs topped the Sarnia Sting 4-3 Saturday and the Windsor Spitfires by the same score Sunday to run their winning streak to six games.
The IceDogs’ recent run has moved them to within seven points of the Ottawa 67’s for top spot atop the Ontario Hockey League’s Eastern Conference.
Sunday in Windsor, Oliver Castleman broke a 2-2 tie with eight minutes remaining in the third period. Philip Tomasino then added an important insurance goal at 19:37. The Spitfires made it a one-goal game when Daniel D’Amico scored with 10 seconds remaining.
Bradey Johnson and Jason Robertson also scored for Niagara while Cole Purboo and Curtis Douglas added singles for the Spitfires.
Jake McGrath made his second start in goal for the IceDogs and turned away 32 shots for the win.
Former IceDog Colton Incze made 21 saves for the Spits.
Saturday in Sarnia, Stephen Dhillon picked up the win in goal making 29 saves.
Ben Jones, Jack Studnicka, Tomasino and Kyen Sopa scored.
Ryan McGregor, Jamieson Rees and Jacob Perreault replied for the Sting.
The IceDogs welcome the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds Thursday before travelling to Kingston Saturday and Ottawa Sunday.
JUNIOR B
Falcons 4 Meteors 3
Adam Pys was at it again Saturday.
Just 24 hours after scoring the winner in overtime at home versus Pelham, the big rearguard game through again in Fort Erie.
Pys broke a 3-3 tie with less than a minute to play to give the St. Catharines Falcons a 4-3 win in Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League, Golden Horseshoe Conference action.
The Falcons, 31-4-0-2, lead the GOJHL in winning percentage at .865 and trail the Niagara Falls Canucks by a point for first place. The Canucks have played one more game.
Carson Edwardson, former Meteor Mike Masotti and Noah Blakely also scored for the Falcons.
Brannon Butler, Michael Fazio and Marco Lariccia replied for the Meteors.
Noah Battaglia made 29 saves in net for the win.
Ethan Cook kicked out 36 shots in goal for the Meteors.
The Falcons visit Hamilton Monday and host Welland Friday.
Blackhawks 3 Panthers 0
Noah Fortuna made 35 saves to record to shutout as the Thorold Blackhawks blanked the Pelham Panthers Sunday at Pelham.
Nick Gidney, Patrick McCluskey and Carson Eden scored for the Hawks.
Thorold, which improved to 17-18-1-3, are home to Fort Erie Thursday and at Niagara Falls Friday.
The Panthers fell to 22-14-0-3.
Kilty B’s 5 Junior Canadians 2
T.J. Hughes collected two goals to pace the visiting Hamilton Kilty B’s past the Welland Junior Canadians Sunday.
Marc Shannon, Jordan Stock and Marino Moro added singles.
Matthew Maidens and Dryden Rivet scored for Welland, which dropped to 8-27-0-4.
JUNIOR C
The Niagara Riverhawks’ power play picked a good time to come to life as it was instrumental in two big wins over the weekend.
The Riverhawks downed the Hamilton Blues 8-3 Saturday night at the Gale Centre followed by a 4-1 win in Port Dover on Sunday afternoon.
Saturday night the Riverhawks scored six power-play goals en route to a 8-3 thrashing of the Hamilton Blues.
Hamilton opened the scoring at the 2:48 mark of the first period but the Riverhawks responded quickly when Carter Leroux tied the game less than a minute later. The Riverhawks then scored three goals with the man advantage by Jacob Saddler, Derek Pymont and Keith Palmer to take a 4-1 lead into the first intermission.
Mason Durant adding another power-play goal early in the middle frame. Hamilton scored midway through the period but Daniel Volpatti scored just as the power play expired to give the Riverhawks a 6- 2 lead by the midway point of the period.
Niagara scored two more power-play goals by Josh Urbshott and Pymont, with his second of the game, to increase the lead to 8-2 after 40 minutes of play. Hamilton added a goal in the third to round out the scoring in a chippy third period.
“That was big win for us. It was a full 60-minute effort tonight against a team we may end up playing in the first round of the playoffs,” Riverhawks coach Tim Barath said. “Our special teams did a great job tonight. I don’t ever recall scoring six power-play goals in a game before but It was nice to see as our power play was struggling a bit as of late.”
Dylan Matos made 37 saves in the win.
Following a scoreless first period Sunday in Port Dover, the power play started off where it left off as the Riverhawks scored twice with the man advantage in the second period by Josh Urbshott and Karl Lavoie while Keith Palmer added a late goal to give the Riverhawks a 3-0 lead after 40 minutes of play.
Zach Pettit scored a short-handed goal at 6:23 of the third to extend the Riverhawks lead before the Sailors scored just 30 seconds later as the Riverhawks skated away with a 4-1 victory.
Matt Boere made 26 saves in the win.
The Riverhawks now sit in fourth spot with three games remaining in the regular season. They travel to Glanbrook on Wednesday before returning home to face Grimsby on Thursday night at the Gale Centre followed by their final regular season game Saturday night in Hespeler.
SUPPORT US
On the right side of our web site, you will notice a yellow SUPPORT US button.
We are asking anyone who finds value in our work and is able to financially help us to click on the button and contribute whatever amount you feel is appropriate and can afford. There is no set amount. Any amount is appreciated.
The funds collected will be used to enhance and offset the expenses of running the web site.
