Extra-special teams
Round 1 went to the contender when the heavyweights in junior B hockey’s Golden Horseshoe Conference clashed for the first time this season.
Tanner Ferreira, Zach Lawrence and Hayden Broomhead scored power-play goals, and the St. Catharines Falcons took advantage of the least-effective penalty kill in the 26-team Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League with a 4-2 victory over the Caledonia Corvairs.
Lucas Smilsky rounded out the scoring for the Falcons, who won their fifth in a row to improve to a conference-leading 6-1, with an empty-net goal with 2:08 remaining in regulation in Tuesday night’s game at Haldimand Centre in Caledonia.
St. Catharines earned twopoints in the opening game of the six-game season series with the four-time defending conference champions despite being outshot 51-26.
Falcons head coach Dan Fitzgerald couldn’t say enough about his team’s 60-minute performance or the play of goaltender Owen Savory, who improved his save percentage to a conference-best .933.
“Loved our compete level, and our goaltending,” he said.
The Falcons are undefeated in intraconference play heading into tonight’s road versus the Thorold Blackhawks.
Fitzgerald, who is in his first year behind the St. Catharines bench, is generally pleased with how the team is playing.
“Obviously, we like seeing wins add up in the standings, but there are a few things 5-on-5 that we’d like to tighten up quicker than we’ve seen to this point.”
He said the Falcons need to do a better job adjusting to their roles in the defensive and neutral zones.
“But that comes with constant reinforcement,” Fitzgerald said. “As a staff we need to continue to work with the guys to ensure they are understanding what we want to accomplish.
Fitzgerald, last season’s coach of the year in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Midwestern Conference, has confidence in the Falcons and in their potential.
“They just need to continue to give us an honest effort and be focused on getting better each and every day.”
St. Catharines, with 26 minutes; and Caledonia, 70; combined for nearly 100 minutes in penalities in a rematch of last season’s conference final, which was won by the Corvairs in six games.
Caledonia came into the contest undefeated, riding a five-game winning streak, but it was the Falcons, not the hosts, who had the decided edge.
St. Catharines has converted 28-per-cent of its power-play opportunities so far this season, tops in the league, while the Falcons’ 92.9-per-cent proficiency in killing penalties is second only to the Brampton Bombers, 95.8.
Caledonia, in comparison, ranks ninth on the power play, 17.7 per cent; and last in the league killing penalties, 77.4 per cent.
St. Catharines Falcons
Record: 6-1, 32 goals for, 17 goals against, 180 penalties in minutes, 12 points Special teams: power play, 28 per cent, first in 26-team league; penalty kill, 92.9 per cent, second Streak: 5-0
On the scoresheet: Michael Davies, 9 goals, 9 assists, 15 points; Lucas Smilsky, 5 G, 7 A, 12 Pts; Tanner Ferreira, 3 G, 6 A, 9 Pts Between the pipes: Owen Savory, 7 games played, one shutout, 2.43 goals-against average, .933 save percentage
Last week: win, at Caledonia, 4-2; win, at Fort Erie, 7-3; win, home to Welland, 4-2
Upcoming: at Thorold, today, 7:07 p.m.; home to Fort Erie, Friday, 7 p.m.
Caledonia Corvairs
Record: 5-1, 35 GF, 11 GA, 174 PIM, 10 Pts
Special teams: PP, 17.7%, 9th; PK, 77.4%, 26th
Streak: 0-1
On the scoresheet: Sean O’Brien, 6 G, 7 assists, 13 Pts; Joshua DeFarais, 2 G, 8 A, 10 Pts; Cole Mayo, 2 G, 6 A, 8 Pts; Jesse Barwell, 1 G, 7 A, 8 Pts
Between the pipes: Brandon McCorriston, 5 GP, 1 Shu, 2.02 GAA, .916 Sv%
Last week: loss, home to St. Catharines, 4-2; win, home to Buffalo, 9-0
Upcoming: at Ancaster, Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; at Welland, Sunday, 7:05 p.m.
Ancaster Avalanche
Record: 4-1, 27 GA, 16 GA, 108 PIM, 8 Pts
Special teams: PP, 15%, 13th; PK, 86.2%, 10th
Streak: 4-0 On the scoresheet: Benjamin Woodhouse, 4 G, 3 A, 7 Pts; Liam Van Loon, 4 G, 2 A, 6 Pts; Noah Romeo, 3 G 3 A, 6 Pts; Graydon James, 1 G, 5 A, 6 Pts; Tanner Brennecke, 0 G, 6 A, 6 Pts Between the pipes: Tanner Sheppard, 3 GP, 1 Shu, 3.67 GAA, .855 Sv%
Last week: win, home to Pelham, 9-0; win, at Niagara Falls, 2-1 Upcoming: home to Caledonia, Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
Welland Jr. Canadians
Record: 3-2-1-1, 30 GF, 24 GA, 140 PIM, 8 Pts
Special teams: PP, 11.9%, 19th; PK, 85.4%, 12th
Streak: 0-1-0-1
On the scoresheet: Matthew Giannini, 6 G, 4 A, 10 Pts; Daelyn Minovski, 3 G, 7 A, 10 Pts; Noah Blakely, 4 G, 5 A, 9 Pts; Tanner McEachern, 3 G, 6 A, 9 Pts Between the pipes: Charles Grimard, 4 GP, 3.07 GAA, .915 Sv% Last week: loss, home to Niagara Falls, 5-4 2OT; loss, at St. Catharines, 4-2
Upcoming: at Fort Erie, Saturday, 7:15 p.m.; home to Caldonia, Sunday, 7:05 p.m.
Niagara Falls Canucks
Record: 3-4, 21 GF, 25 GA, 151 PIM, 6 Pts
Special teams: PP, 13.3%, 15th; PK, 84.4%, 15th
Streak: 1-0
On the scoresheet: Frank Pucci, 3 G, 6 A, 9 Pts; Matthew Caruso, 3 G, 4 A, 7 Pts; Patrick McCabe, 4 G, 2 A, 6 Pts; Ryan Mooney, 2 G, 4 A, 6 Pts; Andrew Barbeau, 0 G, 6 A, 6 Pts
Between the pipes: Zach Moore, 6 GP, 3.27 GAA, .879 Sv%
Last week: win, at St. Catharines, 5-4 2OT; loss, home to Ancaster, 2-1; loss, at Thorold, 5-3 Upcoming: home to Pelham, Friday, 7 p.m.; at Pelham, Sunday, 3 p.m.; at Buffalo, Tuesday, 7 p.m.
Thorold Blackhawks
Record: 2-3-1-0, 19 GF, 24 GA, 104 PIM, 5 Pts
Special teams: PP, 16.7%, 11th; PK, 80%, 23rd
Streak: 2-0
On the scoresheet: Brendan Charlton, 3 G, 3 A, 6 Pts; Matt Maidens, 1 G, 5 A, 6 Pts; Howard Mason, 1 G 4 A, 5 Pts Goaltending: Anthony Tremonte, 5 GP, 2.96 GAA, .922 Sv%
Last week: win, at Pelham, 4-3; win, home to Niagara Falls, 5-3 Upcoming: home to St. Catharines, Thursday, 7:07 p.m.; at Buffalo, Sunday, 7 p.m.
Pelham Panthers
Record: 2-5, 16 GF, 37 GA, 186 PIM, 4 Pts
Special teams: PP, 12.2%, 18th; PK, 78.3%, 25th
Streak: 1-0
On the scoresheet: Jake Herrberg, 3 G, 2 A, 5 Pts; Bailey Stumpo, 2 G, 3 A, 5 Pts; Noah Caperchione, 4 G, 0 A, 4 Pts; Chris Webber, 3 G, 1 A, 4 Pts Between the pipes: Sam Dallas, 6 GP, 4.26 GAA, .876 Sv%
Last week: win, at Buffalo, 4-1; loss, home to Thorold, 4-3 Upcoming: at Niagara Falls, Friday, 7 p.m.; home to Niagara Falls, Sunday, 3 p.m.
Fort Erie Meteors
Record: 1-4, 11 GF, 27 GA, 103 PIM, 2 Pts
Special teams: PP, 3.1%, 26th; PK, 88.5%, 5th
Streak: 0-2
On the scoresheet: Mario Lariccia, 1 G, 6 A, 6 Pts; Drew Passero, 3 G, 1 A 4 Pts; Tanner Lynds, 1 G, 3 A, 4 Pts; Nolan Lynds, 1 G, 3 A, 4 Pts
Between the pipes: Jacob Hearne, 3 GP, 6.00 GAA, .845 Sv% Last week: loss, home to St. Catharines, 7-3
Upcoming: to St. Catharines, Friday, 7 p.m.; home to Welland, Saturday, 7:15 p.m.
Buffalo Regals
Record: 0-6, 9 GF, 36 GA, 80 PIM, 0 Pts
Special teams: PP, 6.1%, 25th; PK, 87.1%, 9th
Streak: 0-6
On the scoresheet: John Mueller, 2 G, 2 A, 4 Pts; Shawn Kross, 2 G, 1 A, 3 Pts; Ryan Kelly, 1 G, 2 A, 3 Pts; Clark Cameron, 2 G, 0 A, 2 Pts
Between the pipes: Nikolaos Manetas, 4 GP, 3.42 GAA, .908 Sv%
Last week: loss, home to Pelham, 4-1, loss, at Caledonia, 9-0 Upcoming: home to Thorold, Sunday, 7 p.m.; home to Niagara Falls, Tuesday, 7 p.m.