Blades win twice on weekend, streak now at four straight

The Blenheim Blades moved into sole possession of third place in the
Provincial Junior Hockey League Stobbs Division with a 1-0 shutout
win Sunday night over the Wheatley Sharks at the Blenheim Memorial
Arena.
The victory was the second in two nights for the Blades, and
followed a 3-1 victory over the Amherstburg Admirals Saturday in
Amherstburg stretching the team’s unbeaten streak to four wins.
The Blades now have a 7-5-0-0 record and 14 points, two up on the
fourth-place Mooretown Flags, and four ahead of the fifth-place
Sharks.
The team will now be idle until Saturday when they travel to
Walpole Island to play the Flags at 7:30 p.m., before returning home
Sunday to host the Flags at 7.
In Sunday’s win the lone goal came off the stick of defenceman Brad
McAlpine at 15:09 of the first 20 minutes, with assists going to Ian
Campbell and Darby Lemieux.
From then on it was the strong play of Blenheim netminder Jake
Vancoillie, who barred the door on the Sharks shooters. On the night
Vancoillie stopped all 35 shots sent his way, while his teammates fired
34 on the Wheatley net.
In Saturdays win the Blades trailed the Admirals 1-0 in the third period
before they exploded for three goals and their 3-1 victory.
Logan Graziano had given Amherstburg a 1-0 lead when he scored at
8:23 of the second period, and that stood up until defenceman Noah
Prudhomme evened things with his fifth goal of the season for
Blenheim at 5:18 of the third period.
Connor Wright and Jaxon Boucher assisted of the play.

Then just a little over two minutes later Tate Bowden’s seventh goal
put the Blades ahead to stay at 7:27, with assists going to linemates
Austin Drew and Zach Van Boxtel.
Defenceman Alec Webster iced the win for Blenheim with a
powerplay tally at 17:54, assisted by Boucher and Connor Roth.
BLADES BITS: Sunday’s crowd was 379 with the 50/50 draw being
$282…It was Halloween Costume Night with several fans, both young
and old, showing up in a various display of costumes…Prizes were
handed out for the best in each category…The Blades have only
allowed seven goals during their four-game winning streak, and only
one in their last two games…Not dressed for the Blades were Ryan
Sanders (injured) and Evan Wells (suspended)…Blades netminder
Owen Lemieux was called up to the Chatham Maroons Sunday night
so AP Daniel Rodger was Vancoillie’s backup…Sunday’s ice sponsor
was Henry Heyink Construction of Chatham…Vancoillie was named
the first star, with Blades forward Tate Bowden the second and
Wheatley netminder Ethan Handley the third.