Canucks win battle of the border

The Niagara Falls Canucks tripled the Buffalo Regals, 3-1, on Wednesday night in western New York, tightening their hold on second place in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Golden Horseshoe Conference. Niagara Falls (13-52-1) won its second game in a row and moved three points ahead of the idle Hamilton Kilty B’s (126-2) for second in the nine-team loop, six points back of the Caledonia Corvairs (17-1-0-1), who have two games in hand.

There was no five-on-five scoring when the Canucks faced the junior B league’s only U.S. team for the second time this season.

After a scoreless first period, power-play goals from Thomas Lenart and Matthew Riva gave Niagara Falls a 2-0 lead. Max Lightfoot added an empty-netter with 12 seconds left in regulation to round out the scoring for the Canucks.

Nolan Slachetka thwarted Jack Brand’s shutout bid with a powerplay goal for the Regals 12:23 into the third period.

Buffalo (4-14-2-1) lost its fourth in a row and for the sixth time in seven games.

Shots on goal were 41-35 for Niagara Falls. The Canucks went 2for-5 with a man advantage, while the Regals finished 1-for-7 with the extra man.

Niagara Falls opened head-tohead play versus Buffalo winning 4-3 at home Sept. 27.

Thursday’s action in the Golden Horseshoe saw the Thorold Blackhawks (11-6-2-1) home to Caledonia. Two games are on tap for Friday night: Thorold at Niagara Falls and Pelham Panthers (6-10-0-2) visiting the St. Catharines Falcons (12-6-1) at Jack Gatecliff Arena.