Flyers beat Vipers 7-2 to even semifinal series

The Leamington Flyers picked up a crucial 7-2 win at home over the LaSalle Vipers on Sunday before a crowd of 818 at the Kinsman Recreation Complex.

With it, the fourth-seeded Flyers evened the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League at 2-2. Game 5 of the series is Wednesday in LaSalle.

The top-seeded Vipers came into Sunday’s game having won backto-back games and looking to take command of the series.

Instead, Griffin Robinson had three goals for the Flyers while Josh Pope-Ferguson scored twice with single goals going to Zach Guilbeault and Liam Hogan. Goalie Connor Meyerink finished with 40 saves.

Liam MacDougall and Zack Hoffman scored for the Vipers, who held a 42-35 edge in shots on goal.

On Saturday, Daniel Beaudoin and MacDougall each had a goal and an assist as the Vipers beat the Flyers 4-2 before a crowd of 956 at the Vollmer Complex.

Brett Banwell and Manny Silverio also scored for the Vipers while Eli Billing made 27 saves to pick up the win in net.

Blake Bain and Hogan scored single goals for the Flyers.

ALLIANCE HOCKEY TITLE

The Windsor Junior Spitfires major midget team captured the Alliance championship on Saturday. It is the first Alliance championship in Windsor AAA zone history.

Windsor beat the Brantford 99ers by a 3-2 count in Brantford to take the best-of-seven series 3-2.

Captain Gianluca Pizzuto, Kory Silverio and Preston Corp scored for Windsor, which built a 3-0 lead and rode the goaltending of James Walker down the stretch to the win.

Windsor, which won the regularseason crown with a 26-6-1-2 record, now heads to Sudbury for the Telus Cup regional tournament, which runs March 27 to April 2.

PROVINCIAL FIGURE SKATING

South Windsor Skating Club members picked up five medals at the Skate Ontario Championships in Port Colborne on the weekend.

Elizabeth Elliott won the Star eight women’s division and finished second in the women’s bronze triathlon.

Hailey McKay finished first in the Star 10 women’s division while Michael Huang won the Star eight men’s division.

Kieran Thrasher finished second in the Star five boys’ under-13 division.

WHEELCHAIR RUGBY

Windsor’s Mike Whitehead and Matthew Debly have been named to Canada’s national wheelchair rugby team.