By Dan McCaffery
file photo
The Sarnia
Legionnaires
picked up a
crucial road
victory
Saturday,
clipping the
LaSalle Vipers
5-3.
The triumph
evened the
best-of-seven
Western Jr. 'B'
hockey
semi-final
series at one
game each.
"It was a full
60-minute
effort," said
Jay Clarke, who
had a goal and
an assist to
lead the way for
the victors.
He added to
continue winning
the Legion crew
will have to
"clean up our
defensive zone
and play hard.
Everyone wants
to be here."
Head coach Dan
Rose singled out
Clarke and Bobby
King for praise,
adding his six
rearguards also
played a strong
game.
The bench boss
was also pleased
with the play of
netminder Andrew
Masters, who
made a number of
excellent glove
saves.
King put the
Legionnaires
ahead in the
first period
with a
backhander from
point blank
range. Clarke
and Kyler
Keating picked
up assists on
the play.
But Chris
Pignanelli tied
the contest
heading into the
first
intermission
with a shot that
defected into
the net off the
stick of a
Sarnia
defenceman.
The Legionnaires
struck for three
unanswered
tallies in the
middle frame.
Clarke got
things going
when he broke in
with King.
"King yelled at
me to shoot and
I just laid into
it," Clarke
recalled. The
blast hit the
crossbar and
deflected into
the twine. Riley
Babkirk got the
lone helper on
the play.
Keating made it
3-1 with a point
drive, with
assists going to
Cody Trowell and
Ryan Trottier.
Defenceman Tyler
Prong made it a
three-goal lead
with a howitzer
from the point
that made it
into the net
with just one
second left on
the clock.
In the final
frame Davis
Boyer made it
5-1, scoring
with a rising
drive from the
high slot.
Brendan
Harrogate and
Nathan Veres
scored power
play goals after
that, to make
the final 5-3.
Masters made 37
saves to pick up
the victory. The
Legionnaires had
29 shots on two
LaSalle
goalkeepers.
The Legionnaires
were 1-for-4
with the man
advantage while
LaSalle was a
perfect 3-for-3.
Game Three will
be played
tonight (Sunday,
March 15) at
Sarnia Arena,
with the puck
drop set for
7:10 p.m.
