Team effort leads Falcons to victory
It doesn’t take a genius to spot the difference Cam Lowe makes in the lineup for the St. Catharines Rankin Construction Falcons.
Lowe made his season debut Friday and it’s no coincidence the Falcons turned in one of their best overall efforts of the season to defeat the Ayr Centennials 3-1 in a Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League game in St. Catharines.
Lowe, who missed the first couple of weeks of the season with a knee injury sustained in a pre-season loss to the Centennials, was in mid-season form as he collected an assist on the winning goal while playing his usual strong two-way game.
“Definitely a surreal moment for sure to be back out with the boys,” Lowe said. “I haven’t played a game in a month, so it was good to get my feet wet again.”
The fact Lowe’s first game as captain was versus the team he suffered his injury against did not go unnoticed.
“For sure, I think there’s some script writers in the (league) for me to come back and play them but this was a good win for the boys and definitely a special moment.”
Lowe has a big supporter in Falcons president of hockey operations and head coach Tyler Bielby.
“Well, there’s no surprise that’s the best 60 minutes we put together this year and it’s because of our leaders here and the boys rally behind them. It was a great win. He had a tough game against Ayr to start. Tough injury, tough penalty, but that’s how we get back at them, on the scoreboard.”
Lowe is wearing the captain’s C this season but doesn’t feel he has to lead alone.
“Anybody in that room can wear a letter,” he said. “There’s a bunch of leaders in that room and a real tight group looking to succeed this year and go as far as we can go.”
Following a scoreless first period, the Falcons opened the scoring less than a minute into the second when Lowe set up newcomer Juan Agromayor with a perfect pass for his first goal as a Falcon. Calvin Petrovksy, who is off to a solid start, netted his third goal of the season with less than a minute to play to give the Falcons a two-goal cushion heading into the third.
Hayden Jeffery looked like he might be on the way to a shutout but Owen Ireton got the Centennials on the board at 18:19 of the third. Nathan Duplessis then netted an empty net goal to round out the scoring with 15 seconds remaining.
Bielby was thrilled with the overall effort.
“There is no such thing as perfect game, but for this time of the year, I think that’s as perfect as it gets as far as competing,” Bielby said. That’s my biggest takeaway. The result is the result and we’ll always take the two points, but so proud of them. All 12 forwards, all the D and our goaltender played well tonight. A good team win.
“Tonight was one of those nights as a coach where it was just easy because you look down your bench and you trusted everyone.”
Bielby singled out rookie Dillon Atkinson for a strong effort.
“I don’t know if many people catch this but our 16-year-old undrafted the kid is who I put on the ice with 17 seconds left to go. That’s the kind of trust we have in our players and Dillon deserved to be on the ice in that moment.”
Falcon facts: Kaleb Lyttleton, Thomas Dimoulas, Ally Mostafaie and Liam Fisher were scratched for the Falcons . . . Grant Spada, Vincent Piccone and Jack Wiser did not dress for the Centennials . . . Former Falcon Dylan Percentile, who is now playing for the Dundas Blues, was in attendance . . . Pelham topped Welland 6-2 and Port Colborne defeated Brantford 5-2 in other action Friday involving local teams.
Falcons 3 Centennials 1
Falcons captain Cam Lowe
St. Catharines Falcons: Calvin Petrovsky (3); Nathan Duplessis (2); Juan Agromayor (1).
Ayr Centennials: Owen Ireton (4).
Game stats: Shots on goal: By St. Catharines on Zach Jovanovski (29), by Ayr on Hayden Jeffery (36); Power plays: St. Catharines 0/4, Ayr 0/4; Penalty minutes: St. Catharines 8, Ayr 8.
Attendance: 356.
Up next: The Falcons head to Caledon Saturday at 8 p.m. and to Sarnia Thursday.
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