Lambton Shores boys hockey coach Scott Wilson is going to chalk up his teams loss in the SWOSSAA 'A/AA' championship as a learning experience.
 

"We are a young team," he said after his club lost to the Amherst Bulldogs 6-3 yesterday at the Shores Arena in Forest.  "We are really looking forward to next year. It was a tough loss but we are looking to the future."

The Lambton Shores Eagles got off to a quick start. Cody Ulrich opened to scoring for the Eagles just under six minutes into the game. Brodie Balcom and captain Adam Van Engelen picked up the assists.

The Eagles then jumped out to a two goal lead on a goal by Chris Steven. Van Engelen again had a helper, as did Ulrich.

"We got off to a good start," the coach said while reflecting the game. "Then the wheels fell off."

The Bulldogs responded by scoring on four of their next five power plays to take a two goal lead.

"It usually isn't that bad," Wilson said of his teams penalty kill. "They just took advantage of their opportunities. They are a fast team."

Winston Tidball scored for the Eagles on a mad scramble in front of the net to trim the lead to 5-3 before the end of the second frame (Spencer Williams had an assists on the play).

But it wasn't enough.

The Bulldogs fired home the nail in the Eagles Coffin just over a minute into the third to seal the game and a birth into OFSAA.
 
Eagles starter Sean Parkes stopped 29 of the 35 shots he faced while Bulldogs goalie Sean Morris was only forced to make 20 stops.

On tap next in boys hockey is the 'AAA/AAAA' SWOSSAA championship between Northern and Villianova today at the Clearwater arena at 2:30 p.m.

Winner will go on to represent Southwestern Ontario at OFSAA.