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.

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

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.