Regals end long drought
Buffalo edges Welland for first regulation win in 46th game of season
Junior B hockey’s two longest losing streaks this season have come to an end, both in the same game.
Not only was the Buffalo Regals’ 6-5 victory over the Welland Jr. Canadians the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League’s team first in regulation, it was its first victory on the road.
But the highlights didn’t stop there for the league’s only U.S. team. After holding on to defeat the Jr. Canadians Saturday night, the Regals forced overtime the following afternoon before falling 5-4 to the Pelham Panthers, also on the road.
That marked the first time this season that Buffalo, 2-40-0-5, has earned at least a point in consecutive games this season.
All in all, it’s been quite a week for the Regals, who took four of a possible eight points. They lost 4-3 in double overtime to the host St. Catharines Falcons and rebounded from a 13-1 loss at home to the Caledonia Corvairs with the victory over Welland.
Buffalo outshot the Jr. Canadians 52-45 and got goals from Michael Sokol, Jeremy Ienco, Jeremy Ross, Logan Gare, Nash Braun and Devin Kasperak.
Matthew Giannini, with two; Noah Blakely, Michael Dischiavi and Philip Liakakos replied for the B’s.
Welland won the season series five wins to one, 10 points to three.
Buffalo’s first win of the season was Oct. 31 when it edged Pelham 3-2 at home in overtime.
Welland visited the Panthers Monday night.
Results were not available at press time but a story is posted online at niagarafallsreview.ca, stcatharinesstandard.ca and wellandtribune.ca.
Panthers 5, Regals 4 OT
At Pelham, Adam Scholz scored the game-winning goal with 17 seconds remaining in the first overtime, and the Panthers came back from a 3-1 deficit to defeat visiting Buffalo.
Matt Ruigrok, with a hat trick, and Peter Rizzo found the back of the net in regulation for Pelham, which outshot the Regals 46-30.
A.J. Marinelli, Nash Braun, Tyler Kallay and Michael Sokol each scored a goal for Buffalo.
Pelham went 2-for-6 on the power play; the Regals, 2-for-5. Buffalo also scored a shorthanded goal.
The Panthers finished head-tohead play versus the Regals with five wins against one loss. They earned 11 points compared to three for Buffalo.
Falcons 9, Jr. Canadians 1
At Welland, Liam Dunda and Gianluca Fuoco each scored twice as visiting St. Catharines completed a sweep of the six-game season series.
Jaleel Adams, Michael Davies, Carson Edwardson, Noah Perlic and Kyle West rounded out the scoring for the Falcons, 36-7-1-3.
Noah Blakely replied for Welland, which lost its sixth in a row to fall to 15-27-3-2.
Shots on goal were 55-23 in favour of the visitors.
St. Catharines went 3-for-4 on the power play. Welland was 1-for6 with a man advantage.
The Falcons return to action today with a 7 p.m. faceoff in Buffalo versus the Regals.
St. Catharines leads Buffalo in head-to-head five wins to none, 10 points to two.
Avalanche 3, Canucks 1
At Ancaster, goals from Kyle Kennery, Benjamin Woodhouse and Benjamin Hatanaka gave the hosts to a 3-0 lead on their way to a victory over Niagara Falls.
Third-place Ancaster won its fourth in a row Saturday improving to 5-1 against the fourth-place Canucks and to 35-10-1-1 in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Golden Horseshoe Conference.
Garrett Downie scored for Niagara Falls, which lost its second in a row to fall to 31-13-0-4 in league play.
Matthew Riva netted a shorthanded goal for the Canucks in an 8-1 loss at home to the Caledonia Corvairs.
Ancaster outshot 30-27 and finished the game 1-for-8 on the power play. Niagara Falls was 0-for-4 with a man advantage.
Ancaster visited the Fort Erie Meteors, 9-31-1-6, for a Family Day matinee Monday.
Next game for the Canucks is 7 p.m. Friday at home against Welland.
Monday night’s action in the Golden Horseshoe Conference had Caledonia, 42-4-0-1, home to the fifth-place Thorold Blackhawksm 19-21-3-4. bfranke@postmedia.com