Coach Jeff Perry's squad crushed the visiting Welland Canadians 6-1 Thursday to claim top spot in the Western Conference of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.

The Legionnaires, who struggled at the start of the season, have won three of their last four games. They now have a record of 3-2-2, good enough for eight points in the standings. The London Nationals are in second with seven, while four other teams are tied for third with six. All of them have games in hand on Sarnia.

Two newcomers helped propel the Legionnaires to their win last night, which came before 1,128 fans at the Brock Street Barn.
 

Forward Tanner Garrick, who joined the club after being cut by the Tier 11 Jr. 'A' Cobourg Cougars, had a goal and an assist, while defenceman Anton Zupancic had two helpers. Zupancic has been assigned to the Legionnaires by his OHL club.

"I had a falling out with my coach and he released me,” Garrick said. “I started e-mailing teams and Sarnia said I could come on down.”

Asked to describe his goal, the 5'9, 165 pounder said modestly, “It was a good team play. The team set me up.”

Garrick said his style is that of, “A grinder with some offensive upside. I like to do some hitting and get the garbage goals.”

He's also a good play-maker. In the third period he streaked in on a two-on-one break and set rookie Derek Nap up for his second goal of the season.

Sarnia came out of the gate on fire, with Owen Rogers scoring his fourth of the campaign just 2:54 into the first frame. Rogers, who was named the game's first star, fired a backhander into the net from close range as he was flying into the boards.
 

Less than two minutes later, Jesse Drydak put Sarnia up by two with a hard wrist shot from 10 feet out. It was his fourth of the season as well.

Chase Clark made it 3-0 on a powerplay at 13:26 when he walked out from behind the net and stuffed the puck in the cage for his third of the year.

With the Legionnaires enjoying a two-man advantage in the second stanza, Tanner Tomlinson upped the margin to four goals with his fourth of the season.

Mike Marquis ruined Sarnia goalie Kyle Washer's shutout bid when he scored the lone Welland goal midway through the second. Washer, who was brilliant all night, blocked 29 of 30 shots. The Legionnaires fired 46 pucks on a pair of Canadians goalkeepers.

• In addition to Zupancic's two assists, Rogers and Clark each had a pair of helpers, while single assists went to Joel Steeves, Tomlinson, Tyler Cicchini, Jordan Black and Garrick.

• Cicchini appeared to score his first of the season in the opening period but the goal was disallowed because the net was slightly ajar.

• Sarnia is in Wheatfield Saturday, where the Legionnaires will play an American-based club for the first time in their history. They return home Thursday, Oct. 1 when they will face the Strathroy Rockets. Game time at the Sarnia Arena will be 7:30 p.m.