Williamson answers the call
St. Catharines Falcons coach Tyler Bielby sat down with winger Sam Williamson about three weeks ago and laid it on the line.
Bielby wanted Williamson to compete harder off the puck and sacrifice himself for his teammates.
Williamson, to his credit, didn’t sulk when he was moved down in the lineup to refine his game. Instead, he worked hard on what Bielby asked him to do and as a result was recently rewarded with a spot on the team’s top offensive unit alongside Nichols Rubino and Blake Yetman.
Williamson picked up a pair of assists playing on that line last Saturday in Caledonia, then followed it up with his first goal in six weeks Friday as the Falcons blanked the Corvairs 4-0 in a Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League, Golden Horseshoe Conference game at Jack Gatecliff Arena.
“He started to do those things and he earned the opportunity to be in these positions,” Bielby said. “There is not a much better hockey IQ in this league than 55. We need him in the top of our lineup being productive.
“For a couple of weeks he worked hard to build that confidence and now those things are coming together.”
Bielby felt it was important to reward the 19-year-old winger.
“He’s one of the players who deserved a sniff with those two players earlier in the year and I didn’t give it to him but when I saw him blocking shots I saw it was time to give him that opportunity and I’m glad I did.”
Williamson, son of Barrie Colts coach Marty Williamson, was thrilled to finally see one go in. His last goal was Jan. 31 versus Thorold.
“It’s nice to get that monkey off the back,” he said. “When you’re playing with 9 (Rubino) and 28 (Yetman) they really make the game easy on you.”
Williamson had no problem with Bielby’s request.
“That’s how it goes for everyone,” he said. “If you work hard and get pucks in, that’s how it goes.”
The win was the sixth in the last seven games for the Falcons who improved to 33-8-1-1 and moved five points up on the Corvairs for second place with five games remaining in their regular season schedule.
“I just couldn’t be more proud of the dressing room we have right now,” Bielby said. “I just watch the way they interact with each other and the way they feed off each other.
“We’re here to play hockey and win hockey games but it’s also about the experience of the journey and it’s fun to be a part of this dressing room and tonight I think they showed us why.”
Bielby noted how the team welcomed back Nate Shirton from junior C with open arms.
“Watch them cheer on Nate Shirton. You have a guy joining the team this late in the season, a lot of teams would see that as a threat, my players are opening the door for him and saying come and help us win,” Bielby said.
Shirton began the season with the Falcons before joining the Dunnville Mudcats. He played an effective role on a line with Chris Reid and Matthew Stranges Friday and even added an assist.
Andrew MacLean kicked out 26 shots to earn his ninth shutout of the season, which is believed to be a GOJHL record. Overall, MacLean has a 1.51 goals-against average and .941 save percentage. Backup Josh Johnson has three shutouts and the combined 12 tie the league record held by the Corvairs.
Falcons facts: Cal Reesor, Owen Simpson and Nate Robertson did not dress for the Falcons . . . Mitchell Brewer, Kevin Hill and Gavyn Bush were scratched for the Corvairs . . . The Falcons were assessed a pair of penalties for too many men on the ice while the Corvairs were nabbed once . . . Falcons forward Jagger North dropped the gloves with Noah Baltzer in the third period following a fracas around MacLean . . . The Welland Junior Canadians topped Pelham 5-2 while Fort Erie Meteors defeated the Niagara Falls Canucks 4-1 in other action Friday.
St. Catharines forward Blake Yetman with a goal and two assists.
STATS PACK
Falcons 4 Corvairs 0
St. Catharines Falcons: Nicholas Rubino (20); Blake Yetman (16); Logan O’Flanagan (10); Sam Williamson (9).
Caledonia Corvairs: No scoring.
Game stats: Shots on goal: By St. Catharines on Ethan Langevin/James Norton (29), by Caledonia on Andrew MacLean (26); Power plays: St. Catharines 1/5, Caledonia 0/4; Penalty minutes: St. Catharines 43, Caledonia 33.
Attendance: 447.
Up next: Home to the Niagara Falls Canucks Friday, March 25.
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