Regals end win drought
Junior B hockey’s longest losing streak this season came to an end Wednesday night in western
New York.
Before coming from behind to edge the Welland Jr. Canadians 4-3, the Lockport Regals were the only team in the 25-team Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League that had yet to earn a point.
“They had to get their first win, and we gave it to them,” Welland head coach Keith Osborne said. “There were some bounces, a couple of guys took the night off and before you know it we’re losing.
“We didn’t take them lightly, but we took our foot off the gas.”
Opposing teams, Osborne warned, can’t look past Lockport.
“They work hard, they don’t give up,” he said.
A bounce off the end board and then off a goaltender’s skate gave the Regals their third goal. Their next goal, for the win, was scored after the Jr. Canadians turned over the puck.
“They took advantage of their scoring opportunities,” Osborne said.
“We had chances but we just couldn’t bury them.”
Lockport outshot Welland 42-31 and improved to 1-8 on goals from A.J. Marinelli, Alex Stinis, Todd Smith and Nolan Slachetka.
Michael Arch, with two goals, and Cody Wall scored for the Jr. Canadians, who lost their third game in a row to fall to 2-7.
Welland took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission despite being outshot 19-9 in the opening frame.
Shots were 14-10 in favour of the visitors in the second period, but only the Regals made a name for themselves on the scoreboard going up 3-2.
Lockport went up by two 5:05 into the third before the Jr. Canadians rounded the scoring in the game less than four minutes later.
Neither team was able to score when it enjoyed a man advantage. Welland went 0-for-4 on the power play; the Regals, 0-2.
It was the first win for the southern Ontario league’s only U.S. franchise since Feb. 17 when the Regals, then located in Buffalo, beat the Jr. Canadians 6-5 on the road.
Despite being last in the Golden Horseshoe Conference, Lockport’s 4.44 goals-against average is lower than seventh-place Welland’s, 5.33; and the eighth-place Fort Erie Meteors, 1-7-0-1, 5.33; after nine games in the nineteam conference.
By far the stingiest defences so far this season belong to the second-place Pelham Panthers, 8-1, 1.44 goals-against average; and the third-place Hamilton Kilty B’s, 7-1, 2.13 GAA.
Where the Regals fall short in comparison to the rest of the league is scoring goals. Their average offensive output of 1.6 goals per game is last in the conference as well as in the league.
Two games on Thursday night’s junior B schedule involved teams from the Golden Horseshoe: Fort Erie at Hamilton, Pelham at Thorold Blackhawks, 2-6.
Results were not available at press time, but summaries are posted online at stcatharinesstandard.ca, niagarafallsreview.ca and wellandtribune.ca.
On tap today are Lockport at Niagara Falls, 7 p.m., Gale Centre; and Hamilton at the 4-3 St. Catharines Falcons, Jack Gatecliff Arena, also at 7 p.m.