Flyers drop home opener to Stars

By C. Scott Holland

Home openers are always filled with nervous players and tentative moves, but in front of an appreciative crowd of 480 last Thursday night, Sept. 18, the Leamington Flyers did not live up to expectations their fans may have had.

With the MacPhersons back, as well as several other vets from last season’s campaign, the fans may have been looking for strong offense and defense – and of course a victory.

Pre-game ceremonies were minimal, but both teams did honour the late GOJHL Ayr Centennials’ player Eli Palfreyman who passed away in an exhibition game a week prior. Both teams stood in a circle around centre ice and joined hands in solidarity and prayer. Samantha Wickham sang God Save the King to begin the new era of British monarch King Charles III before the drop of the first puck.

When it came to hockey, the visiting St. Thomas Stars put 24 shots on Flyers’ starter Boe Piroski and blanked the Flyers 2-0. The Flyers did put plenty of shots on Stars’ rookie netminder Wyatt Sloetjes, but most of the shots he faced were right at him. The rookie did make some dazzling saves to earn the shutout.

Neither team had many scoring chances in the opening frame; however, the Stars broke the scoreless tie at 9:41 on a goal by Nick Houben. About seven minutes later, a loose puck resulted in a turnover with Holden Clark setting up Callum Sneddon’s first of the campaign.

That 2-0 margin was all the Stars would need to win the contest.

The Flyers did get 20 shots on Sloetjes in the second and another 12 in the third to outshoot their opponents 38-22.

Not in the Flyers’ lineup for the opening game were Koen Taves, Luca Milosevic, Braeden Burke and Kyle Greene.

Head coach Dale Mitchell reflected on the home opener.

“Our first period wasn’t good at all,” he said. “Not that St. Thomas scored two goals, but it was a home opener and coming off the training camp we had, I felt we were nervous and just not ready at all. St. Thomas came out hard and fast and we were just flat.”

The Flyers reversed their fortune on Sunday night in Chatham when they rolled out to a 4-0 lead and hung on to top Chatham 5-2 in a contest between two young teams.

The Flyers notched their first goal of the season at 16:09 of the first when Trevor LaRue’s blistering shot sailed into the Chatham net for a 1-0 lead.

In the second, the Flyers added three goals to take a commanding 4-0 lead. William Van Sumeren cashed in at 9:07 then Cody Brekke made it 3-0 at 14:12. A minute later Connor MacPherson flicked his first of the campaign.

Chatham’s Noah Mathieson broke the shutout bid by Bryce Walcarius just 24 seconds into the third, and Brendan Gouin netted a powerplay goal to make it 4-2. Chatham lifted goalie Dylan Martin at 17:37 for an extra attacker but Anthony Ciaramitaro drilled a loose puck into the vacated Chatham net at 17:49 to seal the victory.

Notes: The Flyers will not have a home game in Leamington on Thurs. Sept. 22 because they will play a home game against Cambridge on Sun. Sept. 25 to be held at 5 p.m. in Pelham as part of the Showcase Weekend. The previous day they will play a road game in Pelham versus Fort Erie at 4:30 p.m.

For fans who have been wondering about being shutout in home openers: the last time that happened to the Flyers was in 2000, the very first regulation contest at the current arena when the Chatham Maroons won 5-0. They have scored in every home opener since until this season.

Next home game: Thurs. Sept. 15 versus Strathroy Rockets at 7:10 p.m.

A flurry of Flyers activity around the Stars’ net in last Thursday’s game saw Flyer Hayden Reid (#7) and Anthony Ciaramitaro (#9) watch as William Van Sumeren (#18) tries to get the puck past Stars’ goalie Wyatt Sloetjes, who blanked the Flyers 2-0.