HomeMy WebLinkAboutGoderich Signal Star, 2017-01-11, Page 24Wednesday, January 11, 2017 • Signal Star 25
Holidays provide Flyers with little respite as they lose 4 straight
Richard Madge
The Goderich Orr Insurance Fly-
ers played four games over the
Christmas and New Year's in Pro-
vincial Junior hockey League
action and lost them all, two to the
Wingham Ironmen and two to the
Hanover Barons.
The Flyers were defeated 3-1 and 5-4
in overtime in games in Wingham on
Friday, Dec. 30, 2016, and Friday, Jan.
6, 2017. They lost 3-2 in Hanover on
Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017, and 6-3 at the
MRC Saturday, Jan. 7.
One bright spot for the Flyers was
the selection of goaltender Nathan
Watson as the PJHL Miller Insur-
ance Goaltender of the Month for
December. Watson had a 2-2-1
record for the month with a save
percentage of .900.
In the first game with Wingham,
defenceman Morgan Benniwies cel-
ebrated his return from an injury
with a first period goal for the Flyers,
but that would be the onlyGoderich
goal of the game as the team failed to
take advantage of several powerplay
opportunities. Logan Tolton, Josh
Stewart and Bailey Boyes scored for
the Ironmen. Stewart's goal was a
shorthanded effort.
Both teams came into the game
off big victories, the Flyers having
defeated the second place Mitchell
Hawks, and the Ironmen having tri-
umphed over the league -leading
Walkerton Hawks, but the Ironmen
prevailed in the battle of the two bot-
tom teams in the Pollock Division
standings. Flyers coach David Err-
ington had high praise for affiliated
player Tanner Stevenson who
showed he can play at the junior
level.
The Flyers second loss to the Iron -
men was in a game the Flyers had a
golden chance to win. They led 4-1
halfway through the game on goals
by Tyler McCracken, Ryan Stulp, his
20th of the season, Riley Connors,
shorthanded, and defenceman
Trent Bell. At that point, the Ironmen
pulled goalie Alex Metzger, replacing
him with former Flyer Pat Do who
blanked the Flyers the rest of the
way. Logan Tolton and Bailey Boyes
brought the Ironmen to within one
by the end of the second period and
Shane Vollmer scored the only goal
of the third to force the overtime.
Greg Scott got the winner for Wing -
ham five minutes into the extra
session.
In Hanover, the Flyers went
into the game with a short bench
due to injuries and suspensions
and players being away for
Christmas.
' For two periods, the game fea-
tured a goaltender's battle between
the Flyers' Branden Bean and
Wingham's Braeden Ellis, which
sent the game into the third period
scoreless. The Barons came out
strong in the third with two goals in
the first two minutes and then
added another to take a
commanding 3-0 lead. Klatt Shields
got the first two Hanover goals and
Jarrett Kuntz added the third. Then
the flyers went to work with Riley
Connors scoring on a play with Noah
Kuno and Drew McKee. "'hey pulled
to within one goal of the Barons
when Tyler Stacey and Ryan Stulp
cycled the puck down low until they
found Tyler McCracken alone in
front and got the puck to him.
McCracken quick release beat Ellis to
make the score 3-2.
Stulp came within inches of tying
the game with three minutes
remaining when he rang a bullet
drive off the post and the Flyers
continued to buzz the Barons' net
until the horn ended the game with
the Barons holding on to their one
goal lead.
The Flyers played the game with
only two regular defencemen in their
lineup. "''rent Michie filled in admira-
bly on the blueline along with two
newly signed affiliated players, Justin
Rodgers and Cole McKee.
The loss at home to Hanover had a
lot to do with power plays and penalty
killing. The Barons went 4-5 on their
.power play opportunities while the
Flyers went 0-5. Baron's goalie
Braeden Ellis had a big hand in that
department turning aside all the
quality chances the Flyers were able to
Manufacture. The Flyers outshot the
Barons 36-32 and actually led 3-2 after
the first period, but the Barons scored
two unanswered powerplay goals in
each of the second and third periods to
win 6-3.
Tyler McCracken, Trent Michie
and defenceman Morgan Benni-
wies had the first period markers
for the Flyers. Assists were credited
to Wyatt Carey, Brodie Tenpas and
Drew McKee.
Jarrett Kuntz scored the two first
period Baroii cow nterswhile Cole Les-
ley got two powerplay goals in the sec-
ond period and Jared Liesemer and
Justin Graham made good on power
play opportunities in the final frame.
'Ihe four losses leave the Flyers in
the PJHL cellar, a full 10 points
behind the improving sixth place
Wingham Ironmen who defeated the
first place Walkerton Hawks again,
5-4, in overtitne Saturday.
'Ihe fourth place Barons are two
points behind the third place Kin-
cardine Bulldogs.
The Flyers will play at home again
at the MRC Saturday, Jan. 14, at 7:30
p.m., versus the second place Mitch-
ell Hawks after playing in Walkerton
Friday against the first place Walker-
ton Hawks.
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