The Blenheim Blades finished their 2021-22 shortened Provincial
Junior Hockey League Stobbs Division season Sunday night when they
dropped a 6-3 decision to the Wheatley Sharks at the Blenheim
Memorial Arena.
Because of Covid the normal 40-game season was cut from 40 games
to 32, with the Blades winning 14 and losing 18 for 28 points, and a
sixth-place finish.
Next up for the Blades will be a best-of-seven, quarter-final series
with the third-place finishing Mooretown Flags that will kick off
Wednesday in Mooretown at 7:30 p.m.
Game 2 will be Thursday at the Blenheim Memorial Arena at 7, with
Game 3 in Mooretown Saturday at 7:30, and Game 4 back in Blenheim
Sunday at 7.
In the other three quarter-final series Lakeshore will play Wallaceburg,
Essex will meet Petrolia and Wheatley will tangle with Amherstburg.
Wheatley led 2-1 after the first period, 3-2 after the second, and
outscored Blenheim 3-1 in the third.
Matt Carvalho scored half the Wheatley goals, with singles going to
Liam Sinasac, Denzel Aguilar and Braedon Caetano.
Alex Edwards, Sam McKinlay and Evan Wells netted one each for
Blenheim. For Wells it was his 11th of the season, Edwards his second
and McKinlay his third.
Assists went to Connor Wright, with two, Ryan Terry and Ben Barnard.
Wheatley outshot the Blades 38-22.
BLADES BITS: Three Blades – goalie Caleb Pinsonneault, forward Seth
Henderson and defenceman Colton Shoemaker, all over-age players,
played their final regular season game, and were honoured along with
their parents prior to the puck drop…Henderson led the team in goals –
19 – and points – 40…His linemate Tate Bowden was second in scoring
with 39 points thanks to 19 goals and 20 assists for 39 points…With
Dresden losing to Mooretown Saturday night the Wallaceburg
Thunderhawks clinched their first playoff spot since the 2010-11 season
thanks to their overtime 7-6 victory 7-6 the Dresden Kings Friday
night…From the 2011-12 season through the 2019-20 campaign
Wallaceburg played 360 games and only won 45…The last time Dresden
missed the playoff was the 2010-11 season…Not dressed for the Blades
were Evan Minnie, Brett Wegrzyn, Ayden McKinlay and Jared
Delaey…Fans are reminded that single-game passes are not valid for
the playoffs…Attendance was 369.