Blades win playoff opener

The Blenheim Blades kicked off their best-of-seven PJHL Stobbs Division
quarter-final playoff series Thursday night with a 5-3 victory over the
Amherstburg Admirals at the Blenheim arena.
The game was close going into the third period with Blenheim leading by a
goal 2-1, but three third-period tallies proved difference in the victory.
The two teams will play Game 2 Saturday at 8 p.m. in Amherstburg, with
Game 3 back in Blenheim Sunday at 7 and Game 4 Tuesday in Amherstburg at
7:30.
Blades veteran Zach Van Boxtel led the way for his team with a pair of goals,
while singles went to Joey Hayter, Ayden McKinlay and Brad McAlpine.
Brett Jones, Connor Demelo and Jake Goudreault found the Blades net for the
Admirals.
After Jones gave Amherstburg at 1-0 lead at 3:27 of the first period, Joey
Hayter tied things at 1-1 just a little over two minutes later with his brother
Matt Hayter and McAlpine assisting on the play.
Van Boxtel scored the only goal for either team in the second period. It came
on a Blenheim powerplay at 15:44 with assists going to Justin Ewald and Darby
Lemieux.
It was Van Boxtell who gave his team a 3-1 lead with another powerplay tally
at 4:14 of the final 20 minutes, with assists going to Tate Bowden and Lemieux.
It didn’t take long for Amherstburg to cut the 3-1 deficit to a goal when
Demelo scored at 6:13, with McAlpine restoring the Blades two-goal lead at 8:25
with a beautiful unassisted goal.
McKinlay rounded out the Blenheim scoring at 9:22, with Craig Spence and
Nick Cameron picking up assists on the play.
The Admirals then got za powerplay goal from Goudreault at 13:44, with that
tally ending the scoring for both teams for the night.
BLADES BITS: Owen Lemieux was in net for Blenheim, and picked up the
victory stopping 17 of 20 shots sent his way, while Amherstburg’s Josh Courtney

turned aside 37 of 42 Blades shots…Not dressed for the Blades were Will
McCracken, Remi Steen, Ethan Chittle, Cameron Robertson and Gavin
Meriano…The Blades took eight penalties and the Admirals 10…The three stars
of the game were, first star Van Boxtel, second star McAlpine and third star
Jones…Attendance was 439…The ice time sponsor was the Ridge Landfill
Community Trust.