Falcons seek eighth straight victory
A number of streaks are on the line when the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League Golden Horseshoe Conference schedule resumes tonight in Thorold.
A victory over the Caledonia Corvairs would give the host Blackhawks, 3-4-1-0, their second win in a row and fourth in the past five games.
Caledonia, 7-1, is seeking to leave the ice a winner for the straight time.
On Friday, the St. Catharines Falcons, at 8-1 the winningest team in the 26-team junior B league heading into action last night, is taking a seven-game winning streak into its home game against the Pelham Panthers, 2-7.
The Falcons, whose only loss so far this season was a 5-2 setback to the defending Midwestern Conference champion Listowel Cyclones at the Showcase tournament in Brantford, has yet to lose an intraconference game.
St. Catharines wraps up the weekend Sunday night in Welland where the Falcons will play the Junior Canadians for the second time this season. The Falcons doubled Welland 4-2 Sept. 22 when the head-to-head got underway in St. Catharines.
Also back in action Friday, and hoping to continue their winning ways, are the Niagara Falls Canucks, 6-4, winners of four in a row.
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Niagara Falls, which hosts the Blackhawks in a 7 p.m. faceoff at Gale Centre, defeated the Buffalo Regals 6-2 on the road Tuesday night.
Owen Green, with two goals; Justin Kyle, Maxwell Lightfoot, Patrick McCabe and Jacob Stos scored for the Canucks, who outshot their hosts 3727. Joseph Marsazalek and Cameron Green replied for the Regals, who are still seeking their first win after starting league play 0-8.
Niagara Falls finished the game 2-for-4 on the power play; Buffalo,
0-for-2. Niagara Falls will be playing the Blackhawks for the second time this season, and Canucks owner-head coach Frank Pietrangelo doesn’t need to be reminded what happened in the first meeting.
“Of the games we played this year, we feel we laid an egg against Thorold,” he said recalling the 5-3 road loss. “I’m hoping the guys will be focused and prepared for Friday night.
“We want to make sure we are clicking on all cylinders.”
Unlike the Falcons and Canucks, the Jr. Canadians don’t want their streak extended Saturday night when they play Caledonia for the second time in as many games. Last Sunday the Jr. Canadians dropped a 2-1 decision to the four-time defending conference champions to fall to 3-4-1-1 and extend a winless streak to four. — with files from David Chernish, special to Postmedia News
St. Catharines Falcons
Record: 8-1, 46 goals for, 22 goals against, 218 penalties in minutes, 16 points
Special teams: power play, 30.4 per cent, first in 26-team league; penalty kill, 92.2 per cent, second
Streak: 7-0
On the scoresheet: Michael Davies, 9 goals, 10 assists, 19 points; Lucas Smilsky, 5 G, 9 A, 14 Pts; Tanner Ferreira, 4 G, 9 A, 13 Pts
Between the pipes: Owen Savory, 8 games played, one shutout, 2.25 goals-against average, .935 save percentage
Last week: win, home to Fort Erie, 4-1; win, at Thorold, 10-4 Upcoming: home to Pelham, Friday; at Welland, Sunday, 7:05 p.m.
Caledonia Corvairs
Record: 7-1, 46 GF, 22 GA, 218 PIM, 14 Pts
Special teams: PP, 14.9, 10th; PK, 80.4%, 24th
Streak: 2-0
On the scoresheet: Sean O'Brien, 6 G, 8 A, 14 Pts; Joshua DeFarais, 2 G, 9 A, 11 Pts; Jesse Barwell, 2 G, 8 A, 10 Pts Between the pipes: Brandon McCorriston, 6 GP, 1 Shu, 1.85 GAA, .918 Sv%
Last week: win, at Welland, 2-1; win, at Ancaster, 5-2
Upcoming: at Thorold, Thursday, 7:07 p.m.; home to Welland, Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
Niagara Falls Canucks
Record: 6-4, 36 GF, 27 GA, 181 PIM, 12 Pts
Special teams: PP, 15.3%, 10th; PK, 87.8%, 5th
Streak: 4-0
On the scoresheet: Frank Pucci, 5 G, 9 A, 14 Pts; Matthew Caruso, 4 G, 7 A, 11 Pts; Patrick McCabe, 6 G, 4 A, 10 Pts Between the pipes: Zach Moore, 8 GP, 2 Shu, 2.43 GAA, .911 Sv%
Last week: win, at Buffalo, 6-2; win, at Pelham, 4-0; win, home to Pelham, 5-0 Upcoming: home to Thorold, Friday, 7 p.m.; at Fort Erie, Saturday, 7:15 p.m.
Ancaster Avalanche
Record: 4-2, 29 GA, 21 GA, 152 PIM, 8 Pts
Special teams: PP, 14.8%, 11th; PK, 86.8%, 9th
Streak: 0-1
On the scoresheet: Liam Van Loon, 5 G, 2 A, 7 Pts; Benjamin Woodhouse, 4 G, 3 A, 7 Pts; Tanner Brennecke, 0 G, 7 A, 7 Pts
Between the pipes: Tanner Sheppard, 3 GP, 1 Shu, 3.67 GAA, .855 Sv%; Ryan Dugas, 3 GP, 3.33 GAA, .903
Last week: loss, home to Caledonia, 5-2
Upcoming: home to Fort Erie, Thursday, 7:30 p.m.; home to Buffalo, Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
Welland Jr. Canadians Record: 3-4-1-1, 33 GF, 30 GA, 164 PIM, 8 Pts
Special teams: PP, 11.1%, 19th; PK, 87.5%, 7th
Streak: 0-3-0-1
On the scoresheet: Matthew Giannini, 6 G, 5 A, 11 Pts; Noah Blakely, 5 G, 6 A, 11 Pts; Daelyn Minovski, 3 G, 7 A, 10 Pts Between the pipes: Charles Grimard, 6 GP, 2.81 GAA, .928 Sv%
Last week: loss, home to Caledonia, 2-1; loss, at Fort Erie, 4-2
Upcoming: at Caledonia, Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; home to St. Catharines, Sunday, 7:05 p.m.
Thorold Blackhawks
Record: 3-4-1-0, 29 GF, 34 GA, 136 PIM, 7 Pts
Special teams: PP, 12.9%, 14th; PK, 81.4%, 19th
Streak: 1-0
On the scoresheet: Griffen Fox, 4 G, 5 A, 9 Pts; Brendan Charlton, 4 G, 3 A, 7 Pts; Mitch Britton, 3 G, 4 A, 7 Pts Goaltending: Anthony Tremonte, 6 GP,4.12 GAA, .889 Sv%
Last week: win, at Buffalo, 6-0; loss, home to St. Catharines, 10-4 Upcoming: home to Caledonia, Thursday, 7:07 p.m.; at Niagara Falls, Friday, 7 p.m.
Fort Erie Meteors
Record: 2-5, 16 GF, 33 GA, 132 PIM, 4 Pts
Special teams: PP, 5.3%, 25th; PK, 85.3%, 15th
Streak: 1-0
On the scoresheet: Mario Lariccia, 1 G, 6 A, 7 Pts; Drew Passero, 4 G, 1 A, 5 Pts; Mike Masotti, 1 G, 3 A, 4 Pts Between the pipes: Tyler Szczepaniak, 4 GP, 3.75 GAA, .884 Sv%; Jacob Hearne, 3 GP, 6.00 GAA, .845 Sv% Last week: win, home to Welland, 4-2; loss, at St. Catharines, 4-1 Upcoming: at Ancaster, Thursday, 7:30 p.m.; home to Niagara Falls, Friday, 7:15 p.m.
Pelham Panthers
Record: 2-7, 16 GF, 46 GA, 208 PIM, 4 Pts
Special teams: PP, 10.7%, 20th; PK, 80.4%, 25th
Streak: 0-2
On the scoresheet: Jake Herrberg, 3 G, 2 A, 5 Pts; Noah Caperchione, 4 G, 0 A, 4 Pts; Chris Webber, 3 G, 1 A, 4 Pts Between the pipes: Sam Dallas, 6 GP, 4.26 GAA, .876 Sv%
Last week: loss, home to Niagara Falls, 4-0; loss, at Niagara Falls, 5-0 Upcoming: at St. Catharines, Friday, 7 p.m.; home to Buffalo, Sunday, 3 p.m.
Buffalo Regals
Record: 0-8, 11 GF, 48 GA, 98 PIM, 0 Pts
Special teams: PP, 4.9%, 26th; PK, 84.2%, 15th
Streak: 0-8
On the scoresheet: Clark Cameron, 3 G, 1 A, 4 Pts; John Mueller, 2 G, 2 A, 4 Pts; Shawn Kross, 2 G, 1 A, 3 Pts Between the pipes: Nikolaos Manetas, 5 GP, 3.99 GAA, .893 Sv%; Peyton Zern, 5 GP, 8.73 GAA, .810 Sv% Last week: loss, home to Niagara Falls, 6-2' home to Thorold, 6-0 Upcoming: at Ancaster, Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; at Pelham, Sunday, 3 p.m.