Blades battle hard outdoors, but lose to Lakeshore 4-3 in OT

WINDSOR – The first three times the Blenheim Blades faced the Provincial
Junior Hockey League Stobbs Division leading Lakeshore Canadiens things did not
work out too well – blanked twice and outscored 22-2.
Since then things have improved dramatically as the Blades beat the Canadiens
2-1 on December 8 in Blenheim, and Friday night battled to tie the annual
outdoor game at Lanspeary Park in Windsor 3-3 late in the third period before
falling 4-3 in sudden-death overtime.
The point gained gives Blenheim 25 on the season and sole possession of sixth-
place – a point up on the Dresden Kings, and two ahead of the Petrolia Flyers.
Blenheim and Dresden have both played 32 games and Petrolia 31.
The weather, while mild, was not ideal for playing outdoors even though the
ice surface has a roof, as it was raining and foggy at times.
Saturday the Wallaceburg Thunderhawks will meet the Amherstburg Admirals
at 4 p.m. at the Lanspeary ice surface.
Next action for the Blades will be Sunday when the Mooretown Flags come to
the Blenheim Memorial Arena at 7 p.m.
It was a former Blade who did most of the damage Friday night as Kier
Cumming scored with the game only 1:49 old, and then put his team up 3-2 at
9:55 of the third period.
Eric Larue had given the Canadiens a 2-0 first period lead before Connor Wright,
at 13:53, and Alex Cunningham, at 15:29, got the Blades even at 2-2 after 20
minutes.
Wright’s goal was his sixth of the season with assists going to newcomer Matt
Cunningham and Spencer Chatel. Matt is Alex’s younger brother, and was playing
in his first game since being obtained earlier in the week from the Junior ‘B’
Sarnia Legionnaires.
Alex’s fifth tally of the season came on a powerplay, with Kyle Hachey and Nick
Tetreault assisting.
There was no more scoring until Cumming put his club up 3-2 in the third
period, with Blades defenceman Jaxon Boucher then forcing overtime when he

scored on a powerplay at 14:55 assisted by Noah Tetrault and another newcomer
Tate Bowden, who the Blades got from the Chatham Maroons Wednesday.
Boucher’s score was his first as a Blade to go with two he had while playing
earlier this season with Amherstburg.
Tycen Chittle then won the game for Lakeshore in overtime when he scored at
3:52.
BLADES BITS: It was a solid effort Friday as the Blades were missing Tyler Davis,
Seth Henderson, Ben Barnard, Sebastian Stubberfield, Carter Wright and Sam
McKinlay…Chris DeWulf was in goal and stopped 46 of 50 shots…The Blades had
33 shots…Blenheim was two for five on the powerplay, while Lakeshore did not
score of four PPs…Noah Tetrault picked up a two-game suspension when he was
assessed a head-checking minor and misconduct in the second period.