Canucks win series opener at home
The entire Niagara Falls Canucks organization couldn’t be happier heading into Welland Game 2 on Sunday night leading their best-ofseven, junior B hockey quarter-final with the Jr. Canadians1-0.
“I thought we played a good game. We could have played better, but we will improve as the series continues,” Canucks head coach Frank Pietrangelo said after a 4-2 victory Friday night at Gale Centre in Niagara Falls.
“The important thing is the win, It’s playoff hockey and there are a lot of ups and downs, and I thought we handled them pretty well tonight.”
Results from last night’s game were unavailable at press time. A summary is posted online at www. www.niagarafallsreview.ca.
In the series opener, the thirdseeded Canucks drew first blood on a goal from the team’s leading point producer, Frank Pucci, but Welland’s Noah Bollert scored his second goal in as many games and, just like that, the Jr. Canadians, the No. 6 seed, were right back in the fight.
“I thought our kids came out real hard and we stuck to the game plan in the first period, but then we got away from the game plan the rest of the game and did things you can’t afford to do in the playoffs,” Welland head coach Keith Osborne said.
“We ended up being down 3-1 heading into the third which is good in this rink considering our record this year.”
The teams combined for 66 minutes in penalties, with Welland going 0-for-8 and the power play and Niagara Falls 1-for-5.
“We didn’t get enough pucks or bodies to the net and our power play was 0-for-8. Niagara Falls played really well,” Osborne said.
The Canucks outshot the Jr. Canadians 43-26 Friday night, including 17 in the final period.
Osborne praised the Brandon McCorriston’s play between the Welland pipes.
“They got 43 shots on net and our goalie played very well,” he said. “We were in the game all night because of him.”
Though Pietrangelo is content with how his team performed, he believes the team needs to be more disciplined.
“We were in the box way too much tonight and we have got to be better,” he said. “It’s playoff hockey, sometimes you have to take a punch to the face and stay away.”
“It’s all about learning and I think we have to stay disciplined night in and night out if we want to make a serious push.”
The Canucks were led by the line combination of sniper Harrison Cottam, Pucci and power forward Patrick McCabe, who netted his first career playoff goal while adding two assists.
Throughout the night, it was Pucci who took over offensively and he was on the point sheet for every Canucks goal except for Austin Wright’s insurance marker in the third period.
“How can you not like everything Pucci brings to the table,” Pietrangelo said. “He’s an elite player at this level, great playmaker and tremendous leader.”
“He also logs big minutes on the power play and penalty kill units
The 20-year-old Sault Ste. Marie native began the 2016-2017 season in the Ontario Hockey League with the Soo Greyhounds. Two weeks later, Pucci packed his bags and gave Pietrangelo his former coach, a call asking if there was room for another player.
“I think we had a good season overall,” Pucci said. “Since I’ve arrived, there haven’t been too many times where we haven’t played well.”
The shifty playmaker has been just as good defensively as he is offensively. Pietrangelo uses him in every situation and, along with Cottam, gives the Canucks a lethal one-two punch down the middle with plenty of depth on the wing.
“Harry is a pure sniper and has a great shot,” Pucci said.
“We’ve played good together all year long, and he gets to the open space which it makes it easy to find him.”
Avalanche 5, Meteors 2
At Ancaster, goals were scored in streaks and the host Avalanche had the longest won as they downed Fort Erie to take a 2-0 lead in a best-of-seven Golden Horsehoe Conference quarter-final playoff series.
Fourth-seeded Ancaster, which doubled the Meteors 6-3 in the opening game of the first-round series Thursday night, jumped out to a 4-0 lead before No. 5 seed Fort Erie replied with two goals.
Ancaster rounded out the scoring Saturday night with an emptynet goal from Zach Bramwell.
Zach Lawrence, with two goals; Ryan Knill and Owen Burnell, on the power play; also scored for the Avalanche.
Danny Katic, on the power play; and Mike Masotti provided the offence for Fort Erie, which was outshot 31-22.
Ancaster finished the game 1-for7 on the power play; Fort Erie, 1-8.
Meteors head coach Todd Clayton used two goaltenders for the second time in as many playoff games. On Saturday, starter Shayne Battler allowed three goals on 11 shots before being relieved by Tyler Hawk who stopped 15 of 16 shots the rest of the way.
In Game 1, Hawk turned away eight of nine shots in relief of Battler who faced 24 shots and surrendered five goals.
Domenic Evangelista, Jeff Lindsay, Owen Norton, Bramwell, Burnell and Lawrence scored goals for Ancaster in the series opener. Chase White, with two; and Daylon Groulx found the back of the net for the Meteors.
Action resumes today with a 7:15 p.m. faceoff at the Leisureplex in Fort Erie. Game 4 is Wednesday at Morgan Firestone Arena in Ancaster, beginning at 8 p.m.