Falcons soar over Regals

Rookie Jack McGovern earns third shutout of junior B career

The St. Catharines Falcons blanked the Lockport Regals 14-0 Wednesday night in western New York, returning to the win column and extending their point streak to 19 games.

Christian Girhiny, with four goals, three assists; Dakota Miskolczi, two goals; three assists; Noah Blakely, two goals, one assist; turned in multiple-goal performances as the Falcons improved to 18-3-0-2 in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Golden Horseshoe Conference.

St. Catharines, which has earned at least a point in 19 consecutive games, also got goals from Jaleel Adams, Xavier Drummond, Jacob Sims, Jacob Roach, Jack Venneri.

Shots on net were 52-25 in favour of the Falcons, with rookie Jack McGovern earning the third shutout of his junior B career.

McGovern, 17, of Waterdown is the league’s leading goaltender, limiting opponents to 1.84 goals per game while compiling a .918 save percentage.

Lockport lost its sixth in a row to fall to 3-20-1.

St. Catharines rebounded from a 3-2 overtime loss to the Pelham Panthers to improve to 2-0 against the league’s only U.S. team. Head-to-head play opened Oct. 3 in Lockport, where the Falcons skated to a 4-2 victory.

Lockport was back on the ice Thursday night visiting the

Thorold Blackhawks, 11-12-1-1.

Friday night’s Golden Horseshoe schedule has St. Catharines hosting the Fort Erie Meteors, 8-16-0-1; at Jack Gatecliff Arena, and Niagara Falls Canucks, 22-30-1; entertaining Welland Junior Canadians, 6-16-0-2; at Gale Centre.

With 45 of a possible 52 points and .865 winning percentage, Niagara Falls is tops in the conference, as well as in the 25-team second.

Second-place St. Catharines trails the Canucks by seven points, but the Falcons have three games in hand.

Third in the Golden Horseshoe are the 16-8-0-1 Hamilton Kilty B’s, 33 points.

Pelham, 30 points; Thorold, 24; Fort Erie, 17; Welland, 14; Lockport, seven; round out the eightteam conference.

All but one of the top five in the league scoring race is from Niagara Falls. Justin Kyle, 18 goals, 36 assists, 54 assists; has a twopoints leading over Canucks teammate Ben Evans, 21 goals, 31 assists; heading into Thursday night action.

Niagara Falls’ Mitch Mendonca, 20 goals, 24 assists; Dillon Hill, eight goals, 36 assists; are tied for fourth, 44 points apiece.

St. Catharines’ Jacob Roach is the only other player from the ’Shoe in the top 10. He is tied for seventh in the scoring race with 42 points on 13 goals, 29 assists.

Source: Pointstreak Sports Technologies Inc.

Bernd.Franke @niagaradailies.com