Blades explode in third period,

The Blenheim Blades gave up a 3-1 third-period lead over the
Wallaceburg Thunderhawks in a span of 12 seconds, and then came
alive scoring four times before the period ended to defeat the
Wallaceburg Thunderhawks 7-3 at the Blenheim Memorial Arena
Sunday night.

The win was the third in a row for the Blades and gives them a solid
hold on fourth place in the Provincial Junior Hockey League’s Stobbs
Division with 44 points, 11 up on the fifth-place Mooretown Flags, and
just two behind of the third-place Wheatley Sharks.
The Blades have played three more games than the Sharks, and four
more than the Flags, and return to action Tuesday in Essex against the
first-place ’73s at 7 p.m.

The ’73s return the favour next Sunday when they come to
Blenheim for a 7 p.m. game.
The Blades took a 2-0 first period lead on goals by Austin Drew, his
seventh and Tate Bowden, his team-leading 19th.
Bowden and Alec Webster assisted on Drew’s tally, and Craig Spence
and Ben Brooks did the same on Bowden’s goal.
Connor Roth upped the Blenheim lead to 3-0 at 7:02 of the middle
20 minutes. The goal, Roth’s ninth of the year, came on a powerplay,
one of four extra strength markers for the Blades on the night.
The Thunderhawks got on the board with a powerplay goal of their
own when Josh Remsik scored at 11:07 cutting the Blenheim lead to
3-1 after 40 minutes.
It didn’t take long for Wallaceburg to tie things in the third period at
3-3 thanks to goals by Nicholas Wylie and Cohen Veenstra just 12

seconds apart, but then the Thunderhawks started to fill the penalty
box and the Blades got four straight powerplay tallies.
The first came at 7:50 by Zach Van Boxtel, his 12th of the season,
followed by Darby Lemieux (12) at 10:12, Spence (4) at 12:05, and an
empty net goal by Bowden (20) at 17:32.
On those goals Drew had two assists, Ian Campbell, Connor Wright,
Spence and Brad McAlpine one each.

BLADES BITS: Jake Vancoillie was in net for the Blades, and picked
up his third straight victory…Blenheim outshot Wallaceburg 47-
27…Not dressed for the Blades were Noah Prudhomme, Ethan
Waddick and Ryan Sanders…Prior to the start of game there was a
minute of silence in memory of Ronnie “Tuukka” Betterley, who at
the age of seven passed way Jan. 29 five years ago…Ronnie, was a
member of the South Kent Minor Hockey Novice team, and the
younger brother of one of tonight’s two linesmen Joe Betterley, a
former Blade and Thunderhawk, who dropped a ceremonial puck in
Ronnie’s memory…Attendance was 355…Sunday’s ice sponsor was
The Bottled of Blenheim.