The Legionnaires had a
tough job Thursday's
night against the last
place St. Mary Lincolns
but came out on top
taking a 3 - 2 win
before the home town
fans in the Greater
Ontario Jr. B hockey
regular league play.
"It was harder than we
expected," head coach
Dan Rose said. "At this
time of year these team
you got to show up to
play. The season
grinding on and the kids
are ready for their
Christmas break."
Late in the first period
at 18:02 Davis Boyer
from Riley Babkirk and
Tyler Longo gave the
Legionnaires a 1 - 0
lead but :48 seconds
later that lead was cut
as St. Mary's Sean
O'Brien tied the game
and the two teams would
head into the second
with a fresh start.
"It was tougher than we
thought but I thought we
played well in the first
period," Rose said
"We completely out
chanced them in the
first period it could
have been 4 or 5-1 at
that point. Their goalie
(Andrew Masters) is one
of the better goalies in
the league and they
played a good road
game."
Sarnia outshot St. Marys
18 - 9 in the the first.
The score would remain
the same heading into
the third as neither
side score. In the
second St. Marys outshot
Sarnia 12 - 6.
"Merlin's a good coach,"
Rose said about St.
Marys head coach Merlin
Malinowski. "He had them
prepared, plugging up
the neutral zone, it was
hard to get anything
going."
43 seconds into the
third period Cody
Trowell scored his 23rd
of the year on the power
play with Kyler Keating
and Davis Boyer
assisting that gave
Sarnia the lead.
At 15:41 Riley Babkirk
came from behind the net
and found the opening
and Sarnia took a two
goal lead. St.
Marys continued to fight
back and with one Sarnia
player sitting in the
penalty box St. Mary's
pulled their goalie for
the 6 on 4 attack and
were successful and
scored at 19:39 to
narrow the gap. After
the faceoff St. Marys
pulled their goalie
again but the
Legionnaires held on to
take the win.
St. Marys outshot the
Legionnaires in the
third 10 - 8.
Cornel Felder earned the
win turning away 29
shots Andrew Masters
also made 29 saves in
the game.
Sarnia scored once on
five power play
opportunities, St. Marys
also scored once on
seven opportunities.
"Our penalties tonight
weren’t undisciplined
but we had some
penalties that killed
our momentum every time
we got going. Our PK did
a great job tonight
other than that we got 2
points and that what’s
important." said Rose
"We were missing some
bodies but Brock Perry
played his first game
for us and had some
great shifts."
Perry had three good
scoring opportunities
including a break when
he was tripped up and no
penalty called on the
play.
The 6'2" Lambton AAA
Major Midget forward
found the pace quicker.
"At the first I was a
little nervous but as
the game got on it got a
little better and I
settled down" Perry said
"I got couple shots on
net which was not too
bad. it was a good
time."
Perry comes from a line
of athletes including
his Great Grandfather
Norm Perry a Canadian
Football Hall of Famer
who led the Sarnia
Imperials in winning the
Grey Cup in 1934. Also
along with his Great
Grandfather his
Grandfather (Dick) and
Father (Jeff) have
all been inducted into
the Sarnia Lambton
Sports Hall of Fame.
Missing from the lineup
were Nathan Mater, Ryan
Trottier who are
recovering from injuries
and are expected back
next week. Jake
O'Donnell who was in the
Sarnia Sting lineup on
Thursday and Tyler Prong
who is expected back
after the new year.
The Legionnaires are now
21-8-0 for the season
and are back at home on
Thursday Dec 18 when St.
Thomas comes to Sarnia.
Game time is set for
7:10 pm.
