X marks the spot
The St. Catharines Falcons have high expectations for Xavier Drummond this season.
The 20-year-old forward had a solid regular season last year, then followed it up with an outstanding performance in the playoffs.
Drummond has picked right up where he left off last spring with a strong start to this season.
Drummond fired two goals as the Falcons edged the Hamilton Kilty B’s 3-2 in a Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League, Golden Horseshoe Conference game Friday night at Jack Gatecliff Arena.
Falcons coach Tyler Bielby is well aware how important the veteran forward is to the club.
“He knows that we’d like him to score goals but the biggest thing for him is to be consistent and play 60 minutes every night and keep himself in the game,” Bielby said. “He wears his heart on his sleeve, he’s an emotional player, so what we’re working on with him is his emotional intelligence and being strong for 60 minutes because if he finishes a game, he’s a difference maker, and was for us tonight.”
Drummond, who celebrated his 20th birthday Wednesday, is concentrating on his role in the room in his last season of junior.
“I wasn’t really thinking about it (this season) from a production standpoint, it’s more of a leadership thing,” he said. “We have a lot of older guys, but a lot of young guys, so it’s about coming in every night and working hard and setting the example.”
Drummond, who collected 20 goals and 50 points in just 37 games last season, now had eight goals and 15 points in 14 games this year.
“You get to know everyone in the organization, which helps,” Drummond said when asked to contrast his comfort level this season versus last year. “Just being familiar around the rink and knowing all the bounces of the rink really helps.”
Drummond would love nothing more than to extend his finals season of junior as long as possible.
“I try not to think about it too much that it’s my last year, but at the same time, it’s always in the back of your mind,” he said. “You just want to go out in the best way. You never want to look back with regrets.”
St. Catharines grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first on an early goal by Drummond just over a minute into the game. That was followed by a fluke goal halfway through the period when Andrew Somerville’s dump-in from behind centre ice somehow slipped through the legs of Hamilton goalie Justin Easter.
The Kilty B’s rebounded with a strong start to the second and scored a pair of goals two tie it up at 2-2 before Drummond netted his of the night late in the period to restore the Falcons’ lead at 3-2.
“At the end of the day we just won a game against a team ahead of us in the standings, so we want to take that,” Bielby said.”We weren’t good enough, we weren’t at our best in the second period, but I thought in the third period we showed who we are as a hockey team by digging down and trying to be the more disciplined team and finishing the full 60 minuets.”
The Falcons improved to 8-5-1-0 and trail the Kilty B’s by three points in the standings.
“It’s going to be a long series against these guys all year. They’re a good team and well-coached and they keep coming,” Bielby said.
Falcons netminder Blair Coffin turned in another outstanding effort.
“That’s why he was brought it. He was brought in to be a difference maker. Playing OK is not acceptable for him. He’s got to be the best guy on the ice for us every night and that’s why he’s here and he was tonight,” Bielby said.
Falcon facts: Josh Urbshott, Jake Orr and Jacob Romano did not dress for the Falcons . . . Yon Shino and Mark Benn were scratched for the Kilty B’s . . . The Falcons meet and greet the players night will be held Wednesday, Oct. 23 at Kully’s at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 which includes pizza . . . Carter Geoffroy and Freddie Teeple had a brief, but intense tussle in the third . . . The Niagara Falls Canucks topped the Caledonia Corvairs 3-2 in double overtime in the only other game Friday. Ryan Donovan (2) and Jaleel Adams scored for the Canucks. Matthew Bridgwater and Zach Mannazone replied for the Corvairs.
Falcons 3 Kilty B’s 2
BPSN Star of the Game: St. Catharines forward Xavier Drummond with a pair of goals.
St. Catharines Falcons: Drummond 2 (7,8); Andrew Somerville (5).
Hamilton Kilty B’s: Jacob McEachern (3); Cameron Gauvreau (1).
Game stats: Shots on goal: By St. Catharines on Justin Easter (34), by Hamilton on Blair Coffin (32); Power plays: St. Catharines 1-for-3, Hamilton 0-for-3; Penalty minutes: St. Catharines 17, Hamilton 27.
Attendance: 419.
Up next: In Thorold Thursday and home to Buffalo next Friday.
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