Blades wrap up exhibition games with a 5-3 win over Wheatley

Sunday night at the Blenheim Memorial Arena ended the Blenheim Blades
four-game exhibition season with the Blades beating the Wheatley Sharks 5-3.
The Blades had earlier defeated the Walpole Island Wild twice by scores of 5-2
and 5-2, and lost to the Sharks 6-4.
Now it is on to the regular 42-game Provincial Junior Hockey League Stobbs
Division season with kicks off for the Blades at home Sunday, Sept. 22 against
the Amherstburg Admirals at 7 p.m., with the first road game Friday, Sept. 27,
and not the 22nd in Dresden against the Kings as initially reported.
Sunday the Blades had newly acquired forward Nelson DeKoning in the lineup,
as he was obtained in a three-team deal from the Walpole Island Wild. The
Blades sent defenceman Cameron Robertson to the Kings, who then traded
three players to the Wild. DeKoning, from Wallaceburg, was the Wild’s leading
point-getter the last two seasons with 27 last year and 30 in 2022-23.
It didn’t take long for DeKoning to show off his skills as he scored twice
Sunday night, with the other Blenheim tallies going to rookie Casey Tellier, with
two, and veteran Landon Hoskins one.
Stefan Jacobs, Vito Alfano and Brandon Ferguson scored for the Sharks.
Jake Vancoillie was between the pipes for Blenheim and faced 32 shots, while
the Blades had 29 on Wheatley goalies Cooper Crowe and Ethan Davis.
Attendance was 253.
Thursday in Wheatley the teams traded the lead a couple of times with the
Sharks coming out on top 6-4.
Alfano and Carter Loffelmann netted two goals each for Wheatley, and Josh
Chauvin and Keleb Jardim one apiece.
Veterans Brad McAlpine, Remi Steen and Gavin Meriano, along with
newcomer Brody Fraleigh from the Junior ‘B’ Komoka Kings, scored for
Blenheim.
Both teams had 35 shots on goal, with Vancoillie once again between the
pipes.

Wednesday night against the Wild on Walpole Island, the Blades got a pair of
goals from Jack Lewis, who signed with the Blades during the week after playing
12 games last season scoring a goal and getting five assists.
Fraleigh, veteran Dominic Goure and rookie Paiton Desangher netted the other
three Blenheim tallies.
Ryan Bowen and Cohen Veenstra scored for the Willd.
The Thursday, Aug 28 lineup was made up mostly of rookies looking to make
the Blades final roster, but it was veterans Robertson and Nick Cameron that led
the way with a pair of goals each.
Lewis had the other Blenheim tally, and also added an assist.
Vaughn Macklin and Ryan Bowen scored for the Wild, who trailed 1-0 after the
first period, and 3-1 after 40 minutes.
The Blades outshot the Wild 44-31, and took four of seven minor penalties
Attendance was 257.