22 - Southpoint Sun
Wednesday, March 30, 2022
Flyers run win streak to eight games By C. Scott Holland Playing back-to-back games versus tough opponents is never easy, and for the Leamington Flyers it was a case of two rallies in two nights to gain two important victories. On Wednesday night the Flyers were in LaSalle, down 2-0 after one frame, but chipped away and beat the Vipers 4-2. On Thursday night at home in front of the season’s largest crowd (870), they once again fell behind 2-0 to Chatham by the contest’s midway point and narrowed it to
2-1 before having a strong third. They took a 3-2 lead but Chatham tied it, thanks to a late penalty and extra attacker. The Flyers won that game in overtime. “They scored on their chances in the first,” said head coach Dale Mitchell about LaSalle. “We knew they were going to come out hard. We made some adjustments after the first and held them to 14 shots the rest of the game.” The rally in LaSalle began when Jason Daraiche lined a right lane shot
past starter Kyle Downey eight minutes into the second. Near the midway point of the third, Jack Cotter ripped a left lane shot that handcuffed Downey to tie the game. With less than five left, Kale Couvillon notched the go-ahead goal and the Flyers’ defense shut down the Vipers the rest of the way. Connor MacPherson netted an empty-net goal after the Vipers pulled Downey for an extra attacker during the final two minutes. At home against the
Chatham Maroons on Thursday, both teams engaged in an end-to-end battle. Chatham struck first with a goal that appeared to ping pong off a skate boot. It was credited to Lucas Fancy at 17:08 of the first. There was plenty of checking and some good opportunities by both teams. Things remained close until the Maroons Connor Paronuzzi gave Chatham a 2-0 cushion at 11:03 of the second. “Thursday we started well again. They scored a goal off a lucky bounce. We knew from the night before if we kept pressing we could battle back,” Mitchell said. “We put ourselves down 2-0. But no one panicked and with the maturity these guys have they stuck with it and battled back into the game.” At 13:28 of the second, Wyatt O’Neil put the Flyers on the board to cut
the margin. Jack Cotter slipped Koen Taves the puck at 16:54, and Taves, who was on the doorstep, tipped it up and over starter Nolan DeKoning. With the score knotted 2-2, the third period became a tug of war as the Flyers and Maroons jockeyed for the next important goal. Several golden opportunities slipped away for the Flyers until Kale Couvillon and Gabe Piccolo hooked passes with Connor McCracken who whipped the puck past DeKoning at 13:04. The Flyers clung to that precious lead until the Maroons lifted their goalie for an extra attacker with just under two minutes remaining and at the same time as a Flyers’ penalty. The Flyers killed off nearly a minute of the powerplay before a left lane screen shot eluded starter Ryan Polidori and the game was suddenly
tied 3-3. The ensuing three-onthree was short lived. The Flyers puck possession enabled Colton O’Brien to slip it to Gavin Grundner just inside the Chatham blueline. Grundner weaved towards the net and the speedy Flyers’ forward deftly came around and stuffed the puck past DeKoning left pad for the game winner at 44 seconds and a very loud Highbury Canco arena erupting in cheers. On Saturday the Flyers played at Sarnia and with Boe Piroski in net shutout the Legionnaires 4-0. Piroski halted 20 shots for his third shutout of the season. Scoring for the Flyers were Blake McNally, Connor MacPherson, Gabe Piccolo and Wyatt O’Neil. Schedule: Thursday, March 31 versus Strathroy Rockets at 7:10 pm.
U12 Ravens win Bluewater playoffs
Pet of the Week NOEL COWARD
Noel Coward, 3 years old, Male. I’m Noel Coward...not the playwright. Actually the emphasis on my name is the coward part. I just can’t help it, I’m not yet used to being handled by humans. So when I first meet you, my first flight instinct kicks in... big time. Let me settle in a small room with you for a little bit. Sure, I’ll be scared when you first pet me but don’t give up. In a little while I’ll be head-butting you, chirping, and flopping onto my side so you can give me chin scritches. Who knows...I may just end up being your lap buddy!
Windsor/Essex County Humane Society 519-966-5751 windsorhumane.org
Leamington Flyers’ players come together to celebrate a goal against the Chatham Maroons here on Thursday. The Flyers came from behind to beat the Maroons in overtime and with that, stayed five points ahead of second-place London in the standings. The Flyers host the Strathroy Rockets Thursday here at 7:10 pm. Scott Holland photo
REGIONAL — The Essex Southpoint Ravens U12 hockey team continued their Bluewater League playoffs with a pair of round robin games beginning Thursday night, March 24, when they defeated the Tecumseh Eagles 11-1. Derek Dunn, Kayden Cook, and Lucas O’Neil each potted a pair, with single goals going to Austin Goudie, Owen Derksen, AJ Youssef, Isaiah Georges and Maxim Pyne. On Friday night the squad hosted the Erie North Shore Storm and
APPLES • PEARS • SWEET POTATOES
Growing Since 1921
Apples, Pears, Sweet Potatoes and so much more.
Oranges Now Available!
239 Rd 5 Between Hwy 77 and Albuna Townline
OPEN MON - SAT 8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
519-326-9459 www.simpsonorchards.ca
handily defeated them 7-1. Nash Fuerth and Jonathan Recker led the team with two each, while Tyler Thomas, Ben Liebrock and Dunn chipped in one apiece. This win put the team in first place in their pool and earned them a berth in the semifinals the next day. On Saturday, the Ravens faced off against a tough Kent Cobras team. After a scoreless first period, Kent scored midway through the second. But shortly after, while on a two-man advantage, O’Neil passed to Fuerth, who sent the puck out to Dunn, who banged in his own rebound. With 10 seconds to go in the period, Recker turned in his own zone and threw a long pass up ice to Goudie, who went in alone and fired his shot in low glove to take the lead. Halfway through the final frame, Youssef found Cook at the blue line. He took a slap shot, and Goudie found and banged in the rebound. Ben Liebrock then took advantage of a giveaway and went in alone, jamming it home to increase the lead. Brayden Foster and O’Neil sent the puck back to Cook, who
one-timed his slap shot past the goalie to finish the scoring at 5-1. Kevin Ondic stopped everything thrown his way to earn the win. On Sunday morning in the Bluewater League finals, the Ravens faced off with the Belle River Canadiens. Early in the first, O’Neil scored shorthanded on a failed clearing attempt. In the second period, Fuerth dug the puck out and sent it back to Cook at the line, whose hard wrister beat the goalie low glove to increase the lead to 2-0. Three minutes later, Georges kept the puck in at the line to Fuerth, who turned and found a wideopen Youssef who ripped his shot past a stunned goaltender. Foster then chipped the puck to O’Neil, who skated in wide and slid a pass out front to Goudie, who one-timed his shot in to go up 4-0. Trent Chevalier, though not tested often, made two highlight reel saves late to preserve his shutout in the 4-0 win and made the Ravens the Bluewater League playoff champions.
