Flyers shut out Komoka, fall to Chatham

By C. Scott Holland

Playing 11 games in the span of 26 days, the Leamington Flyers kicked off the final weeks of regular season play with a solid 7-0 drubbing of the last-place Komoka Kings here last Thursday.

On Sunday night in Chatham, it was certainly a big letdown for local fans as the Flyers allowed three quick Chatham goals in the opening minutes of the game, switched goalies and were behind 4-0 before the second period started. They did manage a comeback late in the third but ended up losing the contest 6-4.

Thursday may have been Groundhog Day but against the Flyers it seemed like the Komoka Kings had seen their own shadows. They mustered only 13 shots on Flyers’ starter Boe Piroski who earned his first shutout of the season. The Kings’ lineup had only 16 players – seven forwards and seven defensemen plus two goalies – and just two coaches.

“It was a good game by our group,” said head coach Dale Mitchell afterwards. “We allowed 13 shots which from a defensive standpoint we really like to see. Komoka was short some guys so we knew they couldn’t last the whole game competing with us.”

It didn’t take the Flyers long to assert a lead. At 5:27 of the opening period, Connor MacPherson and Ryan MacPherson set up James Sigmon’s first goal as a Flyer on the powerplay. Gabe Piccolo then set up Jack Cotter to post the Flyers a 2-0 lead.

The fireworks started erupting in the second frame as Nolan McKibbin and Ryan MacPherson tried scoring before Owen Holmes bashed a third rebound into the Kings’ net. While shorthanded near the nine-minute mark, Connor MacPherson grabbed a loose puck and went on a breakaway. Connor’s shorthanded shot from the top of the slot completely handcuffed Kings’ goalie Omar Hage.

As if that wasn’t enough, birthday boy Trevor LaRue took the pass work of Cotter and Piccolo and rifled a shot from the right side that beat Hage and ended the Komoka goalie’s night. Backup goalie Josh Hannivan faced as much rubber as Hage did and was greeted two minutes later by Hayden Reid and Thomas Grossi feeding LaRue, who netted the sixth Flyers’ marker.

The third period was rather calm and featured very little other than plenty of passing and shooting by the Flyers.

To cap the night, Holmes cashed in his second of the night at 15:10 with the two MacPhersons laying the groundwork.

In Chatham on Sunday, starting goalie Bryce Walcarius had a difficult night and was lifted after allowing three Chatham goals in the span of six minutes. Boe Piroski went in and played fairly well until late in the game. Piroski allowed the last three goals as the Flyers fell 6-4.

Down 4-0 for two frames, Connor MacPherson ignited some offense as he netted two of the Flyers’ four markers. Billy Van Sumeren and LaRue gunned one apiece.

NOTES: Congratulations go Connor MacPherson, Ryan MacPherson and Hayden Reid, who represented the Flyers on the GOJHL U18 team at the St. Andrew’s College MacPherson Tourney during the final weekend of January. The GOJHL team won the gold medal.

Thursday, February 9 will be the Flyers’ 70th anniversary reunion as the Flyers host the Chatham Maroons. Congratulations to goalie Boe Piroski, who was named the GOJHL’s goalie of the month for January.

Schedule: Thursday, February 9 versus the Chatham Maroons at 7:10 p.m.

Flyers Gabe Piccolo (98), Connor MacPherson (25) and Jack Cotter (18) close in on Kings’ goaltender Omar Hage during the Flyers’ 7-0 whitewash of Komoka here Thursday. Scott Holland photo