GrayJay Sports
League News
Jacks up 2-0 on Colts
In a crisply played game which featured strong wide-open skating, few whistles and a total of only four goals and completed in a time span of two hours and ten minutes, the South Shore Lumberjacks won their 6th consecutive game of the 23-24 Nova Scotia Junior Hockey League Playoffs before a standing room only audience at the Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre Saturday night in Bridgewater, 3-1 over the Capstone Colts. The win provides the Lumberjacks with a 2-0 lead in the Fred Fox Divisional Final heading into game 3 at Cole Harbour Place Wednesday night. The Colts began the game on the right note, keeping the Lumberjacks off balance through the opening ten minutes while outshooting them 10-2. With 6:39 to play in the first Noah Latimer of the Colts missed in close. Conar Brace came up big in nets for the Colts with 4:39 to play in the opening frame as he made two crucial saves on a Lumberjacks rush. The period concluded with both teams taking a minor, the first went to the Colts with 1:37 to play but after only 43 seconds on the power-play, the Lumberjacks were sent off with 54 seconds left in the first period meaning the Colts would start the second period with 23 seconds to score a potential power-play goal. The Colts outshot the Lumberjacks 13-7 in the first. In the second, the Colts could not manufacture a power-play goal in their 23 seconds of opportunity but just 2:30 into the second period, Nik Xidos made a sensational pass from behind the right face-off circle of the home team and passed it to Noah Latimer approximately 12 feet almost directly in front of the Lumberjacks net and he drilled it home to give the Colts their only goal of the game as they went up 1-0.
The Lumberjacks then began to apply some pressure as Joe Osborne missed oh so close on Brace. Then with a scramble in front of the net after Shubably showed superb determination in keeping the puck in over the Colts blue line, before making a pass to Brennan Coleman who scored to tie the game at 1-1. A few moments later, Daniel LeBlanc was tripped up near the Colts blue line but after being down on the ice, he still managed to get a nifty pass over to Nolan Greenlaw who buried the puck to the middle of the right side of the Colts net and the South Shore had a 2-1 lead which they would never relinquish. The Colts had a 23-15 advantage in shots after forty minutes and outshot the Lumberjacks 10-8 in the middle period.
In the third, Daniel Kline with a quick pass over to Aidan Fisher of the Lumberjacks but Brace stood tall and prevented Fisher from scoring. Brennan Coleman who played outstanding for the Lumberjacks then streaked down the left of the Colts net and made a hard shot which Brace made the save. Brady Stone had a chance for the Colts with a hard shot on Greencorn but Greencorn turned it away and in the process the puck rang off the crossbar. Noah Latimer of the Colts moved in on a 2 on 2 before the period concluded but Shubaly of the Lumberjacks was sent sprawling and Latimer’s shot ended up going off Shubably’s knee-pad. The Colts were on the power-play during this but could not score despite outshooting the Lumberjacks 3-0.
As the period progressed, Shubably made another great play splitting the Colts defence but he was stopped cold by Brace. More great goaltending as Greencorn made a splendid pad save after Latimer of the Colts got around the Jacks defence. With 3:28 remaining in regulation, Alec Howie made it 3-1 South Shore on a great pass from Coleman with Cohen Ewestlake also recording an assist. That was it for the scoring but Matt Jessome just missed scoring the second Colts goal with 1:49 to play with Greencorn making another diligent save. The Colts then pulled Brace with 1:49 to play but could not muster sufficient enough offence to get a 2nd goal. The net stayed empty until the Colts were called for icing with 22 seconds left and Brace ws forced to return to the Colts net. Colts outshot the Lumberjacks again 10-7 in the third. Game 3 is scheduled for Cole Harbour Place Wednesday night before resuming in Bridgewater Friday night at 7:30 p.m.
Membertou 5 Antigonish 1
The Jr. Miners stung the Jr. Bulldogs 5-1 at home Saturday evening in Membertou to tie the Rowe Divisional Final at 1-1. Nathaniel Fuller and Tyler Seymour connected for a pair of goals apiece while Sonny Kabatay continued his torrid play with the Jr. Miners other goal. After the Jr. Miners went up 3-0 after two periods, Zachary Lorette scored for the Bulldogs to make it 3-1 but Seymour and Kabatay followed that up with their goals to make it 5-1 Final Jr. Miners.
Perhaps the most amazing part of this game is the fact a League Record was established with no penalty minutes being called. Records do not date back to the Old Metro Valley Junior Hockey League which began play in 1967 but since records have been kept with the Nova Scotia Junior Hockey League in 1989-90, no game until last night was ever played without at least one minor penalty being called. Game 3 in this series will be played Tuesday night in Antigonish and Game 4 Wednesday night in Membertou before going back to Antigonish Friday, March 22 for Game 5 and a 7:30 start.