Flyers sweep three-game home stand

By C. Scott Holland

The Leamington Flyers extended their winning ways as they swept their three games this past weekend, all played at home.

The Flyers hosted the fourth-place Burlington Cougars last Thursday night, January 16, and battled hard for a precious 4-3 victory. 

On Saturday night against Collingwood, they prevailed 4-1 in a contest that featured a failed challenge by the Blues when the Flyers scored their first goal. 

On Sunday, after holding a slim 2-1 lead after 40 minutes, they tabbed four unanswered goals to win 6-1 over Caledon.

With 615 fans present Thursday and a playoff-like atmosphere, the Flyers and Burlington were knotted at one goal apiece through 20 minutes. However, Leamington slipped ahead 3-2 after 40 minutes before the resilient Cougars knotted it after some pressure during the first half of the third. 

The Flyers surged back and were rewarded with a goal that gave them a 4-3 lead. They played a solid defensive brand of hockey during the remaining seven minutes to protect that one goal lead. Marcus Vandenberg halted 29 of 32 shots and collected his 22nd victory. 

The return of Landon Bernard to the Flyers’ lineup has been a huge boost and Landon doubled his scoring output in the game by firing two of the Flyers’ four goals. 

His first came at 7:29 of the opening frame when he pounced upon a rebound while on the doorstep of Burlington goalie Michael Newlove. 

But the Cougars kept the score even thanks to a rebound that found an open man to the right side of Marcus Vandenberg. 

Jockeying for puck possession was a key element of the second period and both teams spent a good portion of the period digging for pucks along the boards and in the corners. Both teams had the same number of shots on net though the Flyers cashed in two goals to the Cougars’ one. 

The Flyers went ahead on a powerplay tally when Ethan Walker spotted Brody Cook the puck. Cook’s shot was halted by Cougars’ goalie Michael Newlove, but the rebound was plucked by Bernard, who shot from the left lane while falling, to make it 2-1. 

At 11:39 the Cougars replied with a powerplay tally of their own to knot the contest again. 

The Flyers regained the lead two minutes later when given another powerplay opportunity. This time Walker fed Colton Smith, who went from left to right behind the net came out and rifled the puck past Newlove from about six feet out to restore the Flyers’ lead.

Throughout the third the Cougars penetrated the Flyers’ zone and pressured Leamington’s defense. 

Burlington netted the tying marker on a two-on-one drive at 7:10. 

At 13:11 the Flyers’ Ashton Darocy zipped down the right lane and cut towards the net while unleashing a cannon shot that left Newlove motionless. Darocy’s goal would stand as the eventual game-winner. 

“I was happy with our effort,” said head coach Dale Mitchell. “We need to clean up a few things defensively; however, we won a tight hockey game against a good Burlington team. If we come with the same intensity every week, we give ourselves a good chance every night. Also it was nice to see Bernard get two and Darocy net the game winner.”

Saturday night versus the Collingwood Blues, 476 fans watched as the Blues led 1-0 after one frame but the Flyers knotted the game and then surged ahead to win 4-1. 

Walker, Marquis Brown, Brayden Degelas and Cade Bell scored for Leamington. Vandenberg handled 31 of 32 shots to gain the victory. 

On Sunday, with Vandenberg playing with the OHL Sudbury Wolves in London, Connor Davis took over the Flyers’ netminding duties and won his first OJHL contest by halting 21 of 22 shots. 

The Flyers and visiting Caledon Admirals played a scoreless opening period before the Flyers scored twice and the Admirals cut the lead to 2-1. 

Despite the Flyers controlling the majority of the play, it took them until the third period to hone in on the net and win 6-1. 

Gavin Grundner ripped two, while Ethan Walker, Dalton Kane, Michael Denney and Brody Cook slotted one goal apiece. 

The Flyers’ next home game will be Thursday, January 23 at 7:10 p.m. when they host the Georgetown Raiders.