AMHERSTBURG – The Blenheim Blades travelled to Amherstburg to
play the Admirals Saturday night, and grabbed a 1-0 lead early in the
second period, only to see their opponents tie it 57 seconds later and
go on to beat Blenheim 5-3.
The loss sets the Blades season record after 20 games at 9-11-0-0, and
the team remains in fifth place in the nine-club Provincial Junior Hockey
League’s Stobbs Division, five points in back of the Admirals, and one
up on the sixth-place Wheatley Sharks.
The Blades will be right back in action Sunday at 7 p.m. when they
host the Wallaceburg Thunderhawks, who are tied for eighth with the
Dresden Kings. Both teams have eight points, two behind the seventh-
place Petrolia Flyers.
Saturday rookie Tyler Ewald’s seventh goal of the season, set up by
Tate Bowden and Sebastian Stubberfield, at 14:38 of the middle 20
minutes had given the Blades a 1-0 lead, but as mentioned the Admirals
struck back to even things 57 seconds later when Brenden Gouin got
the puck behind Blenheim netminder Caleb Pinsonneault.
The game stayed tied at 1-1 until 33 seconds into the third period
when Brandon Salvati put the Admirals up 2-1.
Andrew Clark made it 3-1 at 5:47, with Salvati netting his second of
the night just under two minutes later.
The Blades Sam McKinlay tallied his first of the season with 8:09 to go
to cut the Amherstburg lead to 4-2 before Gouin iced the win for the
Admirals with his second of the game at 16:49.
Stubberfield picked up his second assist of the night on McKinlay’s
goal.
BLADES BITS: Fans are reminded that because of a new health
department announcement that is now in effect no food or brink will
be allowed to be brought into the arena, and all fans must wear masks
at all times…The canteen will be closed as well…It is expected that
Santa Claus will be greeting people at the front door of the arena
Sunday night…The Blades outshot Amherstburg 35-23…Blenheim’s
Sean Roberts, who plays for the South Kent Midgets, was the backup
goalie for the Blades as Jake Vancoillie was not available to dress…Also
not dressed were Seth Henderson, Trent Amaro, Jeff Carey and Alex
Webster…Defenceman Webster represented the Blades on Team West
in a Prospects Game earlier in the day in Norwich, and picked up an
assist as Team West lost 3-2 to Team South…Vancoillie was selected to
Team West but did not play….Sunday’s home game against
Wallaceburg will be the last of 2021…The Blades will play in Dresden
against the Kings Wednesday, Dec. 29 at 7:30 p.m., and return to the
Blenheim Memorial Arena Sunday, Jan. 2 when the Essex ’73s make
their first appearance of the season in Blenheim.