Flyers lift off from launch pad, beating Buffalo and King

By C. Scott Holland

With an opening night large crowd of 814 on hand September 12, the Leamington Flyers gave them plenty to cheer about as they defeated the visiting Buffalo Jr. Sabres 5-1. 

Flyers head coach Dale Mitchell was pleased with his team’s overall performance: “It was a great start to the game; we came out strong which was a part of our game plan. We were waiting for Buffalo to push back and open up the game but they didn’t really offer much. We held them to 18 shots, which is great for us defensively as a team.”

The buzz around the Highbury Canco arena increased quickly and after the player introductions and ceremonial puck drop by the Leamington Fire Department’s mascot Sparky, the fans were rewarded with an early treat as Landon Bernard and Colton Smith set up Griffin Grundner who bashed in a rebound from the left side of the net for the team’s first goal just 48 seconds into the game. 

The atmosphere immediately turned to one that was playoff-like as chants of “Go, Flyers, Go!” echoed throughout the rink. 

The Flyers offense pressed often in the first period and at 6:31 vet Gavin Grundner found Colton Smith open near the left faceoff circle and Smith gunned a powerplay goal. On the heels of that tally, Adrian Bosev and Owen MacDonald set up Brayden Degelas who chipped in a rebound while on Buffalo netminder Dylan Grover’s doorstep. 

By the midway point of the opening period, Buffalo still hadn’t gotten any shots on Flyers starting netminder Tre Altiman and would finish the frame with only four. Flyers rookies Jobey Pearson and Carter Gillen laid the groundwork for Aidan Edwards, who potted his first OJHL goal from the top of the slot at 13:20.

In the middle stanza, it was almost as if the Flyers had taken their foot off the gas pedal. Buffalo challenged them a bit more but the Flyers still controlled the play and outshot the Jr. Sabres 11-5. 

Early in the third, Buffalo got one puck past Flyers’ starter Altiman as Riley Lephart unleashed a right-wing bullet that sailed over Altiman’s glove. 

Tension between the two clubs had been increasing throughout the second period and nearly erupted a few times. Griffin Grundner’s two-minute check-from-behind and game misconduct at 10:11 plus two minutes for roughing was the worse of any infractions handed out in the third. Buffalo’s Matthew Lee was handed a two-minute minor and 10-minute misconduct at the same time. The offense ended at 17:55, shortly after Buffalo had lifted starter Dylan Grover for an extra attacker and Michael Denney notched an empty-net goal to seal the 5-1 victory. 

Sunday against the King Rebellion, the Flyers found themselves in their toughest battle of the season and won a 2-1 defensive battle. The Rebellion showed the Flyers why they had beaten the Collingwood Blues.

The Flyers opened the scoring at 13:20 of the first on Ashton Darocy’s goal, but at 18:59 a King shot from the top of the slot became the lone puck to elude starter Marcus Vandenberg. 

The Flyers’ Michael Denney tabbed the eventual game-winning marker two minutes into the second period. 

Vandenberg stopped 22 shots and King counterpart Carter Bickle halted 26. The win left the Flyers unbeaten with a 4-0 record.  

Summing up his club’s start to the 2024/25 season, head coach Mitchell said, “I am happy with how the team has been playing.” 

The Flyers next home game is Thursday, September 19 vs Niagara Falls Canucks at 7:10 p.m.