The Sarnia Legionnaires scored the 1,500^th victory in franchise history Saturday.

But the win may also be remembered as one of the toughest victories ever recorded by the fabled hockey club.

Coach Jeff Perry's Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League team edged the Elmira Sugar Kings 4-3 in a thrilling contest played before 1,104 excited fans at the Brock Street Barn.

Jesse Drydak scored twice, including the shorthanded winner, to secure the historic triumph.

The speedy right-winger opened the scoring at the 11:05 mark of the first frame when he snapped home a shot from the side of the net.

“I caught the goalie cheating and put it through the five-hole,” Drydak said. “He tried to cheat because he knew I was going to drag it over.”

Owen Rogers and Anton Zupancic picked up assists on the play, which came with Sarnia enjoying a man advantage.

Early in the middle stanza Chase Clark roared over the blueline on a two-on-one break and blasted home a low shot. Shawn Waldie and Joel Steeves were credited with helpers on the goal, which went into the books as Clark's ninth of the campaign.

The Legionnaires took what looked like an insurmountable 3-0 lead late in the period when Waldie jumped on a rebound in the slot and rifled home his fifth of the season. Drydak and defenceman Jeff Paulley got assists.

In the third period Sarnia had a chance to bury the Sugar Kings when they were awarded a four-minute powerplay, including two minutes in which they had a two-man advantage. But the visitors stunned the Legionnaires and the crowd with a shorthanded goal that put them back in the game.

But Drydak scored a shorthanded goal of his own to restore the three-goal gap.

“Owen Rogers was working hard along the wall and he chipped it up to me,” Drydak explained. “I went in on a breakaway, faked and backhanded it in just over the goalie's pad.”

For Drydak, it was his 21^st goal of the year. More than that, it was his seventh game winning marker. He leads the club in both departments by a wide margin.

Elmira scored two late powerplay goals and came within an eyelash of tying the game in the final minute of play. In fact, they appeared to get the equalizer, only to see it disallowed because the puck went into the net after the whistle had blown.

“I think we're moving in the right direction, but we've got to be better,” Drydak said afterward. “It was too close for comfort.”

Perry thought his club played two strong periods but he was not happy with the final frame, in which the Legionnaires were outscored 3-1.

He felt an inability to score with the two-man advantage was a factor in the close outcome. “We've got to have a knockout punch,” he said. “We could have taken a stranglehold right there.”

Still, the coach gave the Sugar Kings credit, saying, “They played hard. That Elmira team is good.”

He also had words of praise for Drydak, saying, “his speed generates a lot of offense.”

• Shots on goal were 41 apiece. Jesse Raymond got the win for Sarnia, making many spectacular saves.

• Tommy Zilokowski didn't get any points but the Sarnia defenceman was as solid as a rock on the blueline.

• The Legionnaires are now 14-14-5.

• Prior to the game the home team raised a banner in celebration of last year's Legionnaire championship team. Former team Captain Tyler Lewis, who was among those who came back for pre-game ceremonies, delighted the crowd by hoisting the Weir Cup.