Flyers win first-ever Sutherland Cup

By C. Scott Holland

Last Tuesday night, May 9, in front of a packed house of 2,200 at Stratford’s William Allman Arena, the Leamington Flyers completed their season-long quest by winning the Sutherland Cup.

After the opening minutes of the game seven contest, the Flyers put on a show of dominance, although to the Warriors’ fans it was more like the MacPherson show, as Connor and Ryan MacPherson accounted for all four Flyers goals in a decisive 4-0 victory.

The opening period was a typical Flyers effort with good puck control and good bodychecking.

Neither team was able to get on the scoreboard despite the fact that both the Flyers’ Bryce Walcarius and Warriors’ Owen Willmore were tested with Leamington outshooting Stratford 7-6.

The second period was totally different.

The Flyers upped their game and took total control, outshooting the Warriors 18-3.

The break both teams were looking for came early, at 1:06, when the Flyers went on a powerplay.

Koen Taves hooked a pass from the top of the slot to Connor MacPherson, whose left faceoff circle bullet eluded Willmore and made it 1-0 for the Flyers.

It was the first goal of a big night for Connor. At 9:05, he battled a Stratford player at the left point of the Leamington zone, banked the puck into the neutral zone, where he picked it up, raced down the ice and deked Willmore for a 2-0 Flyers’ lead.

Despite the Warriors effort to get their own offense going, the Flyers offense just kept pressuring Stratford while their defense took care of their end and Bryce Walcarius stopped all that came his way.

The final nail in the Warriors’ coffin was inserted by Ryan MacPherson at 1:12 of the third when Nolan McKibbin sent a long centre pass directly onto Ryan’s stick. MacPherson went on a breakaway that ended with a laser shot that made it a 3-0 contest.

The rest of the third period became a back-andforth game with Stratford desperate to get on the scoreboard and make a game out of it. The Flyers had other intentions and were not about to squander the lead.

With 2:12 left, Stratford pulled Willmore for an extra attacker and it didn’t take long for the Flyers to put the icing on the cake as Connor MacPherson whisked a long shot from inside the Flyers zone that found the empty net and thus completed his hattrick and the 2023 Sutherland Cup.

The Flyers outshot the Warriors 12-11 in the final frame. The series MVP was bestowed upon Connor

MacPherson before Flyers’ captain Gabe Piccolo accepted the Sutherland Cup trophy and was joined by his teammates and the throng of supporters who were present.

Ryan, left, and Connor MacPherson with the Sutherland Cup. Shelly J. Quick photos

The Leamington Flyers coaching staff celebrates with their first Sutherland Cup at Stratford Arena on Tuesday, May 9. From left are Assistant Coach Matt Anthony, Assistant Coach Kyle Quick, Assistant Coach Kade McKibbin, Head Coach Dale Mitchell, General Manager Justin Solcz and Assistant GM Matt Dumouchelle.

Flyers captain Gabe Piccolo accepts the James T. Sutherland Cup from GOJHL officials on Tuesday, May 9 at Allman Arena in Stratford.

The Leamington Flyers players and coaching staff pose for a celebratory photo after winning the Sutherland Cup in Stratford on Tuesday, May 9. The series, which the Flyers once led three-games-to-one, was forced to a Game 7, with the Flyers winning handily 4-0 over the Stratford Warriors. Scott Holland’s detailed story is on the sports pages.

PHOTOS courtesy of Shelly J. Quick