Sharks have stranglehold on series

By Greg Coulter

On the strength of three complete games, the Wheatley Omstead Sharks have jumped out to a 3-0 playoff series lead over the Amherstburg Admirals, taking two of three on the road. Balanced scoring, fierce forechecking and backchecking, and stellar goaltending has been their secret to success.

Opening in Amherstburg, they jumped on the opposition early enroute to leads of 2-0 after one and 4-0 after two before giving up two meaningless goals late in the third. Shots favoured the Sharks 41-30 with Ethan Carlone securing the win.

The teams battled through a scoreless first in game two, with the Sharks putting the game out of reach with three in the first half of the second period. They closed out the game with two in third enroute to a decisive 5-0 whitewash victory. Ethan Handley handled 26 shots, while his teammates threw 38 at the other end. The game was a chippy affair through two with over 50 minutes in penalties before settling down in the third.

Braedon Caetano celebrates the Sharks second goal in game two after Matt Carvalho and Kristian Pelling chipped in with assists. The Sharks lead their first round playoff series 3-0, with game four at home Tuesday night.

SUN photo by Greg Coulter

Sunday, March 13 on the road, the Sharks put together a textbook playoff hockey clinic with a 2-0 shutout, outshooting their opponents 36-22, with 21 shots in the second period alone. Handley, posting back-to-back shutouts, led the way.

Over the course of three games, nine different players shared in the goal scoring with Liam Sinasac leading the way with three. Singles go to Dallas Anderson, Kristian Pelling, Braedon Caetano, Matt Carvalho, Denzel Aguilar, Devin St. Pierre, Jack Lewis and Mason Gow. Gow added four assists, D. Anderson and Caetano three, and Pelling, Carvalho, A. Anderson two, with Olson, St. Pierre, McLeary, Davis, Sinasac and B. Thomas contributing singles.

The coaching staff “couldn’t be happier for all our players. It’s taken us three years of hockey uncertainty to get to this point and everybody has risen to the occasion.”