Rough start to junior B lacrosse season
Niagara teams open regular season 0-3
It was a rough start in more ways than one for two of the three local junior B lacrosse teams.
The Welland Generals were outscored 34-14 by perennial powerhouse Six Nations in a home-and-home series to start the 2018 season, as the two games combined for 228 penalty minutes over the two games, while the St. Catharines Spartans were humbled 12-4 by the Hamilton Bengals to open their campaign.
The Niagara Thunderhawks have yet to play a regular season game.
Friday night the Six Nations Rebels ran roughshod over the visiting Generals in a 17-4 victory.
Ethen Wellings paced Welland with two goals, while Talon Badawey had one goal and one assist, and Tanner Main two helpers for the Generals.
Bailey Fournier-Higgins had the other goal for Welland, which was outshot 62-33 overall.
Justin Rombough made 45 saves in the loss as the Generals went 0-for-13 on the power pl’ay in a game that featured 124 penalty minutes.
Sunday night back in the Rose City, the two teams combined for 15 first-period goals and 104 penalty minutes as Six Nations opened a 10-5 lead en route to a
16-10 final.
Peter Hryniuk led Welland with one goal and five assists, while Badawey had two goals and three helpers. Gavin McGregor chipped in with a hat trick for the Generals. Nick Villella and Max Brook both had three assists.
Justin Porga, younger brother of Welland all-time leading scorer Brandon, added one goal and one helper, while Main and Zach Otto had the other Generals’ goals.
Rombough turned aside 46 shots as Welland finished the game 4-for-16 with the man advantage.