After not playing at home during the past two weeks, it took the hometown Flyers 40 minutes on February 13 before they got rolling to top the Mississauga Chargers 4-1 in front of the team’s largest Jr. A crowd to date with 1,445 watching the game.
The large attendance figure was due in part to free admission, thanks to numerous local sponsors who support the team.
On Saturday night, they hit the road for a game vs the Toronto Patriots and won 3-1. Then in their third game in five nights the Flyers beat Niagara Falls Canucks 6-2 on Family Day.
On Thursday at home, the crowd got a rough and tumble opening period followed by two periods of back and forth action featuring the Flyers’ outstanding defensive work. The final shot figures showed the ability of both starting goalies to halt pucks as Mississauga’s Hayden Sabourin turned aside 31, while the Flyers’ Marcus Vandenberg prevented 39 of 40 Chargers’ shots from entering the home team net. Special teams gave the Flyers the edge as Leamington notched three powerplay tallies of the five advantages they had.
Mississauga proved to be a tenacious competitor and one that did not give up until the final buzzer.
“We did our job and got two points, stated head coach Dale Mitchell. “Mississauga is better than their record shows They compete all over the ice. I was really happy with the turnout of our fans and want to thank all the sponsors that made the large turnout happen. We have had great support in our community.”
Hostilities and miscues were evident on both sides in the opening 20 minutes which ended in a scoreless stalemate. The highlight of the first period was Flyer Dalton Kane putting up the dukes with Chargers counterpart Luca Morano, who drew an extra two minutes for initiating the fight which occurred near the penalty box.
Tempers were calm in the second frame as both teams skated up and down the ice with the Flyers outshooting Mississauga15-10.
Leamington jumped on board first at 1:22 of the second during a powerplay as when Brody Cook sent Cade Bell cutting through the Chargers’ defense, and Bell found Ethan Walker in the slot and after a first crack Walker backhanded a shot past Sabourin.
The final stanza provided the scoring difference as the Flyers notched two powerplay tallies and added an empty-net goal in the final minutes.
At 3:29 of the third, Landon Bernard gave Colton Smith a chance to score, but Smith’s left lane shot was stopped and bounced out to Brayden Degelas, who rifled the puck past Sabourin for a 2-0 lead.
Two minutes later, Brody Cook and Michael Denney sent Walker driving to the Chargers’ net. Walker’s initial attempt was thwarted, but while falling to the ice he got his stick on his rebound and whacked it past Sabourin.
The Flyers’ lone defensive lapse came at 9:46 during a powerplay when they allowed Peter Saraglou to tab a shorthanded goal and break Vandenberg’s shutout bid.
The Chargers pulled Sabourin for an extra attacker with just under three minutes left in the contest. But they found the Flyers’ defense hard to penetrate and at 18:26 Degelas hooked a pass onto Colton’s Smith’s stick and it was a two-on-one breakaway with Ethan Walker. Once again Smith’s unselfishness showed as he passed to Walker who easily deposited an empty-net goal for his hattrick.
Saturday against the Toronto Patriots, the Flyers grabbed a 1-0 first period lead and led 2-1 after 40 minutes. They added a third tally in the third and then played stellar defensive hockey during the final 4:31 seconds when the Patriots lifted starting goalie Braeden Shaikh for an extra attacker. Flyer Owen MacDonald drilled a right lane shot midway through the first and Gavin Grundner converted a Cade Bell feed 90 seconds into the middle frame. Flyer Marquis Brown and Nolan Connolly exited the game due to a fight and the Patriots scored not long afterward. Landon Bernard and Owen Fergusson set up Ethan Walker’s third period breakaway and backhand tally which finished the scoring. Marcus Vandenberg halted 30 of 31 shots for the win.
On Family Day afternoon, the Flyers visited Niagara Falls where they controlled the play and took the Canucks 6-2. Scoring for Leamington were Brayden Degelas, with two goals in 16 seconds, while Anthony Ciaramitaro, Gavin Grundner, Marquis Brown and Adrian Bosev netted one each. Marcus Vandenberg stopped 32 shots for the win.
The Flyers are down to three home games. This Thursday, February 20 they host the North York Rangers at 7:10 pm, then have a make-up game on Monday, February 24 at 7:30 pm versus Milton, and finish at home Thursday, February 27 versus the Markham Royals.
These four dedicated Flyers fans — known collectively as The Wild Bunch — were among 1,445 fans who were treated to a free Ontario Junior A hockey game, courtesy of several local sponsors, on Thursday, February 13. From left are Karl Warner, Mark Pavao, Jackson Klassen and Neil Klassen.
SUN photo
