Blades doubled up by Wheatley, lose 8-4

The most goals the Blades had given up in a game this season was seven in a 7-
4 loss to the Lakeshore Canadiens in November, but that changed Sunday night
when the team fell to the Wheatley Sharks 8-4 before a season-high crowd of
603 at the Blenheim arena.
The loss gives the third-place finishing Blades a record of 28-11-1-1 and 58
points with one game remaining in their 42-game PJHL Stobbs Division regular
season. That game is at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Blenheim arena against the
Lakeshore Canadiens.
Fans are reminded that Thursday’s game will be the last that they can use
their single game passes, and season passes, as neither are valid in the playoffs.
Ethan Hamlin led the way for the Sharks scoring three goals and adding an
assist, with Vito Alfano scoring twice, and Kyle Bleau, Shannon Olson and
Braedon Caetano adding a goal each.
Darby Lemieux, who had not played a game since November because of a
shoulder injury, returned to the Blades lineup, and it took him just a minute and
33 seconds to put his team up 1-0 thanks to his seventh goal of the season.
Tate Bowden and Zach Van Boxtel assisted on the play.
After Hamlin netted his first of three at 13:03, Blades captain Craig Spence
knotted things at 2-2 with his 25th goal of the year, with Lemieux and Justin
Ewald assisting.
The Sharks Caetano put his club up 3-2 with a shorthanded marker with a
minute to go in the first period.
The second 20 minutes was all Wheatley as the Sharks scored four times for a
6-2 lead, with both clubs netting a pair of goals in the final 20 minutes.
For the Blades, Breck Rainey scored his seventh of the year, with assists going
to Joey Hayter and Remi Steen, and Ewald picked up his 17th, assisted by Everitt
Swayze and Alec Webster.
BLADES BITS: Jake Vancoillie started ne net for the Blades, but was replaced
by Owen Lemieux after Wheatley’s fifth goal…Wheatley outshot Blenheim 50-
48…It was Brutus Sign Night with fans bringing signs to the game in support of

the Blades…It was also Skate With The Blades Night with fans young an old
getting to a skate with the players after the final whistle…Thursday’s game will
be Overage Players Night with the four overagers on the Blades – Bowden,
Spence, Darby Lemieux and Van Boxtel being presented with their jerseys in a
frame before the game…Not dressed for the Blades were Will McCracken, Brad
McAlpine, Braden Twigg, Owen Reeve and Ethan Chittle…If the season standings
positions for teams do not change over the final week the Blades will play the
Amherstburg Admirals in a best-of-seven quarter-final series…Playoff dates will
be announced later… Graham Street Warehousing was the ice sponsor…The first
star of the game was Hamlin, the second Alfano and the third Darby Lemieux.