Blades drop exhibition game to Sharks

WHEATLEY – The Blenheim Blades hit the road for their second exhibition game leading up to the start of their 2022-23 Provincial Junior Hockey League Stobbs Division season Wednesday, and dropped a 4-1 decision to the Wheatly Sharks.

  The Blades are now 0-2-0-0 with two more exhibition contests this week – Friday in Dresden against the Kings at 7:30 p.m., and back home Sunday against the same Kings at 7 at the Blenheim Memorial Arena.

   The game was only 1:58 old when the Sharks Kristian Pelling opened the scoring.

   Liam Sinasac made it 2-0 Wheatley at 19:54.

   Blades veteran Tate Bowden cut the lead in half when he scored at 18:57 of the second period with assists going to Jaxon Boucher and Alex Edwards.

   Things stayed at 2-1 until the Sharks Shannon Olson scored a powerplay goal at 9:22 of the final 20 minutes, with Dan McClary wrapping up the scoring for Wheatley with his team’s fourth goal at 18:56.

  BLADES BITS: The Blades outshot the Sharks 29-24…Rookie Massimo Agostini and veteran Jake Vancoillie shared the netminding time for the Blades…Blenheim will open the regular season Wednesday in Wallaceburg against the Thunderhawks at 7:30 p.m., and play their first home game Sunday, Sept. 25 against the Amherstburg Admirals…Attendance was 136.