Panthers work overtime to clip Falcons

Three streaks ended and a fourth continued Sunday when the Pelham Panthers edged the visiting St. Catharines Falcons in junior B hockey.

A 3-2 victory in overtime was Pelham’s first win in five games and its first against St. Catharines after starting the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League season series versus the Falcons 0-3. A come-from-behind victory in which the Panthers scored three unanswered goals also snapped St. Catharines’ sevengame win streak.

The setback wasn’t a complete loss for the Falcons, however. Thanks to the consolation point, they were able to extend their streak of earning at least a point to 18 games.

Last regulation loss for St. Catharines, 17-2-0-3, was a 4-2 setback Sept. 24 at Hamilton.

Christian Girhiny, Kyle West put the Falcons up 2-0 early in the third period.

Zach Thompson opened scoring for Pelham with a power-play goal 7:28 into the final frame. Adam Scholz’s shorthanded

marker forced overtime a little more than seven minutes. Matt Ruigrok beat former Panther Dillon Lamarche for the winner 2:45 into the first overtime.

Pelham, 14-10-0-2, was outshot 37-24 and went 1-for-7 with a man advantage. St. Catharines finished the game 0-for-8 on the power play, thanks to a Panthers defence backstopped by Brandon McCorriston.

Sunday’s matinee before an announced crowd of 497 at the new Meridian Community Centre in Fonthill wrapped up a weekend home-and-home between the Golden Horseshoe Conference rivals. St. Catharines took the opener 4-3 in overtime Friday night at Jack Gatecliff Arena. The Falcons visit the Lockport Regals, 3-19-1; Wednesday. Pelham’s next game is Saturday at the Fort Erie Meteors.

Blackhawks 5, Jr. Canadians 2

At Welland, visiting Thorold clinched the win and put the game out of reach with two empty-net goals 11 seconds apart in the final minute of regulation.

The ’Hawks, who opened a home-and-home series against the Jr. Canadians with a 2-1 overtime victory Thursday in Thorold, improved to .500 with the win in Sunday night’s rematch.

Trevor Neumann, with two; Blair Jenkins, Owen Allan, Devon Thibodeau netted goals for Blackhawks, now 11-11-1-1 in league play. Matthew Maidens, Matt Baumann scored for the Jr. Canadians, 8-16-0-1.

Shots on net were 47-40 in favour of the Blackhawks.

Thorold went 1-for-4 on the power play and scored a shorthanded goal. Welland was 1-for-7 with a man advantage.

Lone Golden Horseshoe game Monday had the ’Hawks visiting the Hamilton Kilty B’s, 15-8-0-1. The Jr. Canadians visit the Niagara Falls Canucks, 22-3-0-1; Friday at Gale Centre.