Flyers, area kids both win with 5-1 romp of Komoka

By C. Scott Holland

LEAMINGTON — On a night when it was time for reaping rewards and giving, the Leamington Flyers did both to help themselves and a great cause.

With about 290 fans watching and waiting for the first Flyers’ goal, Leamington did not let them down by scoring first and giving their fans a defensive treat, topping the Komoka Kings 5-1.

The next night, they lost 5-1 to St. Marys and then on Sunday they completed a span of three games in four days by beating Sarnia at home 3-1.

Head coach Dale Mitchell was pleased with the efforts of his club.

“Thursday was one of our most complete games of the season,” he said. “We allowed only 15 shots against us by a good team in Komoka. We played the right way and deserved the win.”

The head coach wasn’t as positive about Friday’s loss in St. Marys.

“We were not good at all against St. Marys,” he said. “Credit to the Lincolns for not giving us anything offensively. As a team we weren’t prepared and St. Marys showed us why they’ve won seven in a row.”

The victory on Thursday vaulted them back into second place temporarily.

The throng of fans came with plastic bags holding toques, scarves and mittens for the area’s needy children.

Hundreds of bags were tossed onto the ice at 15:09 of the opening period when Blake McNally ripped the handiwork of Jason Daraiche and Colton O’Brien past Kings’ starter Omar Hage. The flood of bags were quickly cleared from the ice and the contest continued as the Flyers struck again before the end of the period on a goal by Wyatt O’Neil.

Mason Reid tosses a bag of mittens onto the ice after the Flyers scored late in the first period of Thursday’s game. Mason was among 290 fans at the game, many of whom brought mittens, hats or scarves to toss for charity.

SUN photo

The Flyers defense was stingy throughout the entire game and limited the Kings to 15 total shots over the 60-minute match. Ryan Polidori stopped 14 of them, while Hage finished with 37 saves.

In the second period, the Flyers pounced quickly and tabbed their third marker only 41 seconds in. O’Neil slotted his second of the game, while Gabe Piccolo and Darby Lemieux led the initial charge.

On a man advantage near the five-minute point, Piccolo and O’Brien jammed at a loose puck around the Komoka crease area but it was Andrew Uturo who finally stuffed the puck over the line past Hage for a convincing 4-0 lead.

Near the frame’s midway point, a Flyers’ penalty allowed the Kings to get their only tally as Kaeden Johnston flicked the puck past Polidori.

The third was rather tame, but the Flyers controlled the puck and added one goal to their total when Ryan MacPherson was right on the spot for a rebound which he hammered into the open side of the net.

Playing two games in a 24-hour span is tough enough, but when the second contest involves the year’s longest road trip, it adds an extra dimension. For the Flyers, that long road trip ended in a 5-1 loss in St. Marys. Gavin Grundner scored his 13th of the season to account for the Flyers’ offence.

Flyers Darby Lemieux (17) and Gavin Grundner (40) watch as Komoka players try to clear the puck from their zone on Thursday, December 16.

SUN photo

The Flyers rebounded on Sunday afternoon as they topped the Sarnia Legionnaires 3-1 here in front of a crowd of 205. It was a rather speedy contest and was knotted 0-0 after one frame. But at 4:01 of the second, Noah Prudhomme pumped a goal for 1-0 lead.

Early in the third, Ryan MacPherson jumped on a loose puck during a goalmouth scramble and it was 2-0 Flyers.

Near the period’s midway point, Andrew Uturo blasted the puck past Sarnia starter Ethan Everaert to make it 3-0.

Two penalties given to Leamington at 17:34 ruined the penalty-free game. During the game’s final minute, Sarnia tabbed their lone goal on a shot that bounced off Ryan Polidori’s stick. The Flyers outshot the visitors 44-21.

On behalf of the Leamington Flyers, we’d like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and please stay safe.

Schedule: Thurs. Dec.23 vs St. Thomas Stars at 7:10 p.m.