Canucks pushed to brink
Avs even semifinal with Falcons
The Caledonia Corvairs remain on course to advance to the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League Golden Horseshoe Conference final for the fifth year in a row.
The Corvairs, who also have their sights set on capturing a Sutherland Cup junior B championship for the fifth time in five years, pushed the Niagara Falls Canucks to the brink of elimination with a 6-0 victory Saturday night in Caledonia.
Welland native and one-time
Jr. Canadian Brandon McCorriston earned the shutout as the Corvairs outshot the visiting Canucks 36-21 in Game 3 in a best-of-seven semifinal.
Caledonia improved to 7-0 in post-season play thanks to goals from Eric Eschweiler, with two, Jesse Barwell, Cal Davis, Nolan Gardiner and Bobby Harrison.
The top-seeded Corvairs, who swept the No. 7 seed Pelham Panthers in the opening round of the playoffs, excelled on special teams in Saturday night’s game. They went 2-for-6 on the power play and scored two shorthanded goals, while blanking fourthseeded Niagara Falls on six manadvantage opportunities.
Caledonia overcame a 2-1 deficit going on to score a 4-2 victory in the second game of the series Friday night in Niagara Falls.
Joshua DeFarias, Owen Lane, Harrison and Gardiner scored for the Corvairs. Frank Pucci and Matthew Thorpe replied for the Canucks.
Game 4 is 7 p.m. Monday at Gale Centre in Niagara Falls.
Caledonia won the season series against the Canucks six wins to none, 12 points to one.
Avalanche 5, Falcons 1
At Ancaster, Tanner Sheppard stopped 31 shots and the Avalanche scored five answered goals to even their semifinal with St. Catharines at one apiece.
Benjamin Hatanaka led No. 3 seed Ancaster with two goals, both on the power play. Dawson McKinney, Liam Van Loon and Macklin McPhee also scored for the Avalanche on their home ice Saturday night.
Liam Dunda opened the scoring for the second-seeded Falcons who were outshot 40-33.
The two teams combined for 92 minutes in penalties.
St. Catharines went 0-for-8 on the power play; Ancaster, 2-for-8.
It was the Falcons’ first playoff loss after starting post-season play 5-0.
St. Catharines took a 4-3 decision at home in Game 1 of the series Friday night. Carson Edwardson, with two, Romaeo D’Intino, Lucas Smilsky scored for the Falcons, with Matthew Bridgwater, Adam Meijer and Van Loon providing the offence for Ancaster.
Only two points separated the teams in the standings over the course of the 50-game regular season.
Ancaster won season series three wins to two with one game tied, eight points to six, outscoring St. Catharines 13-12.
Game 3 goes 7 p.m. Tuesday at Jack Gatecliff Arena in St. Catharines.