Blades battle hard, but fall to Canadiens 4-2

BELLE RIVER – Goring into Friday night no Provincial Junior Hockey
League team had managed to defeat the Stobbs Division leading
Lakeshore Canadiens, but the Blenheim Blades gave it a good shot
before falling 4-2 before 329 fans in Belle River.

The first-place Canadiens now have an 18-0-0-0 record for 36 points,
four up on the second-place Essex 73s, while the Blades remain in sixth
place with 16 points thanks to an 8-10-0-0 record. They are two points
two points behind the fifth-place Wheatley Sharks.

The game was the first of three on the road all against teams higher
in the standings than Blenheim. Tuesday they are in Essex to play the
73s, and Saturday in Amherstburg. Both games are at 7 p.m.
Next Sunday the last-place Wallaceburg Thunderbirds come to the
Blenheim Memorial Arena for a 7 p.m. game.

Lakeshore’s Eric Larue scored at 5:59 of the first period to open the
scoring, with Blenheim’s Tyler Ewald putting his team even at 1-1 just
38 seconds later, with assists going to Seth Henderson and Sebastian
Stubberfield.
There was no scoring in the second period with Larue again giving
Lakeshore a one-goal lead when he scored on a powerplay 55 seconds
into the final 20 minutes.

Henderson, with his 13th goal of the season, and 11th in his last 6
games, tied things on a powerplay at 2-2 at 6:42, with assists going to
Tate Bowden and Evan Wells.
The Canadiens eventual winning goal also came on a powerplay when
Luke Mesic scored at 10:13.
Laure completed his three-goal hat trick night with an empty-net tally
at 18:48.

Caleb Pinsonneault was outstanding in the Blades net as he faced 47
shots and allowed three to find the back of the net.
The Blades managed just 16 shots on the night.

BLADES BITS: Jared Delaey, who had not played a game since
suffering a shoulder injury in an exhibition contest in Parkhill on Sept.18
against the North Middlesex Stars, suited up for his first regular-season
contest of his Junior career…Not dressed for the Blades were Trent
Amaro (injury) and Evan Minnie and Brett Wegyrzn…Referee Nick Long
gave the Blades 40 minutes in penalties, including 10-minute
misconducts to Henderson and Sam McKinlay, while Lakeshore spent
only 14 minutes in the sin bin.