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Wednesday, May 4, 2022
Southpoint Sun - 21
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Flyers roar back to eliminate Lincolns By C. Scott Holland With a strong defensive effort Tuesday night in St. Marys then another win on Thursday, April 28 at home versus the St. Marys Lincolns, the Flyers surged ahead in the series. They eliminated the Lincolns on Friday with a stellar defensive and offensive victory that left them with their sights set on the Chatham Maroons, who they’ll face in the West Conference finals. The Flyers went into St. Marys Tuesday night down two games to one, but won it with a convincing 3-1 score to tie the series 2-2. Following that contest they won 4-1 at home Thursday and finished off the Lincolns Friday night by winning 5-0. On Tuesday, goalie Ryan Polidori was back in solid form stopping 32 of 33 shots. The lone St. Marys goal came late in the third period. For the Flyers, the critical point was having the Lincolns play with an extra attacker during the last 2:49 of the third. Polidori and his defense weathered the immense offensive pressure.
The contest began with Gabe Piccolo putting the Flyers ahead at the 10-minute mark of the first. The game stayed that way until Gavin Grundner notched the second tally at 1:11 of the third. Colton O’Brien potted one at 8:19 and it was 3-0. It was all Leamington would need to get the victory. With home ice advantage back, the Flyers returned home on Thursday and subdued the Lincs with 970 fans in attendance. The contest was a 1-0 game for the Lincolns after one frame, but three unanswered goals by the Flyers in the second created some ugliness at two junctures in the middle stanza. The Flyers added one goal in the third and limited the Lincolns to 14 shots overall. The Lincs shocked the Flyers at the outset as they reaped a goal 44 seconds after the first puck was dropped. Despite a rather uneventful first, the Flyers evened the score at 8:28 when Kale Couvillon and Andrew Uturo set up Darby Lemieux’s goal. Lincs’ for-
ward Cole Schnittker was injured and down on the ice during the play. Bryce Walcarius came out of his net and was down on the ice at the left side of his net, leaving it completely open, and Lemieux banked the goal. Two Lincolns and two Flyers were sidelined with penalties in a scrum after the whistle. The Lincolns received an extra two minutes. At 14:24, Connor McCracken rifled Seth Martineau’s rebound past Walcarius to put the Flyers ahead 2-1. A few minutes later, McCracken slotted the handiwork of Wyatt O’Neil and Ryan Clark to give the Flyers a 3-1 margin. However, as McCracken celebrated and entered the center-ice faceoff circle, St. Marys’ Myles Baker initiated a fight with McCracken. Baker received an instigator penalty. Both players were given game misconducts for the fight. Order was restored for the remainder of the second and third. Three minutes into the period, Connor MacPherson and Gavin Grundner hooked up with Wyatt O’Neil, who gunned a powerplay
Flyers win several West Conference awards By C. Scott Holland The GOJHL’s West Conference announced the award winners on the weekend and for the Leamington Flyers it was a good haul. Not only did they win the West Conference title, the team’s coaching staff of Dale Mitchell, Mark Ridout, Matt Anthony and Kade McKibbin won the Coach of the Year honours. Rookie sensation Connor MacPherson had the most points (57) by a rookie player in the west and GOJHL, and also won the Rookie of the Year award.
The goalie tandem of Ryan Polidori and Boe Piroski won the Lowest GAA (Goalies of the Year) title with a 2.41 GAA. Ryan Polidori had the individual lowest GAA in the west with a 23-7 record and a 2.35 average. Other award winners were: Jeff Burridge (London), Top Scorer and MVP; Lucas Fancy (Chatham), Best Defensive Forward; Oliver Bonk (St. Thomas), Rookie of the Year Defenseman; Owen McGowan (London), Best Defenseman; and Cameron Welch (Chatham), Best Defensive Forward.
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Late in the second period of game five, linesmen try to separate the Flyers’ Connor McCracken and Lincolns’ Myles Baker. Scott Holland photo
goal during a five-onthree situation. A large crowd of nearly 900 watched Friday night’s contest. After a scoreless first period, Flyers’ forward Wyatt O’Neil netted a pair to spot Leamington’s lead. The first came at 1:51 and the second at 14:29. Adam Jeffery set up both. The two goals were all the Flyers needed, but Gavin Grundner decided to add some fireworks as he netted a hattrick in a span of 5:50 late in the second and early third periods. Grundner’s three goals now stand as the fastest playoff hattrick by the Flyers and his two powerplay tallies coming in 1:53 also established a new team playoff record. Ryan Polidori halted 36
Lincolns’ attempts to earn the shutout and lower his GAA to 1.51. Regarding his team’s stellar performance in the last couple of games, head coach Dale Mitchell said, “It was amazing to see the players show confidence in coming back in the series after being down 0-2. Great leadership and the willingness to buy into the structure really was the reason we closed out the series... It was nice to see them battle through adversity and be able to overcome that deficit.” “They should enjoy the victory, but remember the team has a goal we all want to accomplish,” added Mitchell. Prior to last Thursday night’s game, the Cha-
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tham Maroons ousted the London Nationals with an overtime victory in London. The victory gave Chatham a berth in the west finals. FINALS SCHEDULE Game 1 at Leamington - Thursday, May 5 - 7:10 pm Game 2 at Chatham Sunday, May 8 -3:00 pm. Game 3 at Leamington Monday, May 9 - 7:10 pm. Game 4 at Chatham Wednesday, May 11 - 7:00 pm. Game 5 at Leamingron - Thursday, May 12 - 7:10 pm (if necessary). Game 6 at Chatham Saturday May 14 - 3:00 pm (if ne,cessary). Game 7 at Leamington Sunday, May 15 - 7:10 pm (if necessary).