"I think it was tougher than
I thought" Head Coach Dan
Rose said after the Sarnia
Legionnaires defeated the
London Nationals 3 - 2
in Sarnia Thursday night in
Greater Ontario Jr. B Hockey
league action.
"London's got a lot of young
kids. They are going to be a
good team by the end of the
year. They worked hard and
never stopped."
But it was three of Sarnia
rookies who stood out this
game. Netminder Cornel
Felder from Petrolia, former
Lambton AAA player who
attended Hill Academy last
season played in his first
Jr. B game and earned his
first win.
"From where I played last year
it was a lot faster, lot
tougher and it's good to get
that first game." Felder
said "The team
helped me out and I really
settled in after awhile
there."
Felder made 22 saves in the
win.
"I thought I played pretty
solid. "The team bailed me
out a couple of times. I
know Sammy (rookie
defenceman Sam McCormack)
really saved me in the
second period but I thought
I had a pretty solid first
game."
Another Rookie Cameron
Clarke from Tecumseh
Michigan also had a first in
this game scoring his first
goal.
All three Sarnia goals were
scored in the second period.
Nathan Mater scored the
first goal assisted by Jay
Clarke and Riley Roberts.
On a power play Cameron
Clarke found the opening in
a scramble in front of the
net that gave him his first
Jr. B goal. Riley Roberts
and Nathan Mate earned the
assists the goal. With
just twenty-six seconds left
in the period Cody Trowell
was found wide open in
front, took the pass from
Brandon Layman and spanked
it in. Ryan Trottier
also earned an assist on the
play.
London fought back in the
third with both goals being
scored by Austin Kemp the
first on a power play.
"They came at us hard in the
first period and we had a
few penalties in the first
period that killed our
momentum." Rose said "But
once we settled down a bit
we controlled the second
period pretty well and they
got a lucky bounce on that
second goal. But I
thought we completely out
chanced them."
Sarnia outshot London 36 -
24. On the power play
Sarnia scored once on six
opportunities. London
scored one on four
opportunities.
Sarnia remains undefeated
with a record of 3 - 0.
"I thought it was a great
game and a really good
entertaining game for the
fans."
On Friday the Legionnaires
will travel to St. Thomas
for their first road game
and meeting with the Stars.
St. Thomas has one win and
one overtime loss so far
this season. Game time
is set for 7:30 pm.