Legionnaires
Take Win in OT
October 16, 2015
COMMUNITY NEWS
By Dan McCaffery
Fans attending Thursday's Jr.
'B' hockey game at the Brock
Street barn could be forgiven if
they felt a sense of dejavu.
That's because for the second
time in a week the Sarnia
Legionnaires defeated the
Strathroy Rockets by a single
goal, prevailing this time by a
3-2 count. And just like the
first game, the second was
settled in overtime.
Officially, the winning tally
was credited to Brad Yowart. But
it appeared the puck actually
went in off the skate of rookie
Alec DeKoning. Assuming a
correction is made, it will go
into the books as DeKoning's
third goal of the campaign.
In one respect, however, this
was a clash like none other ever
played between these
often-bitter Highway 402 rivals.
And that's because not a single
penalty was called all night
long!
After a scoreless first period,
Nick Griffin put the Rockets
ahead at the 2:17 mark of the
middle frame.
But scoring ace Brandon Layman
notched his team-leading sixth
of the season five minutes later
to deadlock matters. Eric Marsh
and Ryan Trottier drew assists
on the play.
Captain Hunter Tyczynski made it
2-1 Sarnia at 12:44 of the
second, with helpers going to
Derek Johnson and Jacob Stos. It
was Tyczynski's third of the
year.
Early in the third stanza, Dante
Copps tied the game at 2-2,
setting the stage for DeKoning's
OT winner.
It was the fifth time in 11
outings that the Legionnaires
have found themselves playing
extra time. Their overtime
record stands at 3-1-1. Overall,
the team is 5-4-1-1.
Goalie Shayne Battler got the
win in Sarnia's net, kicking out
26 shots. He now sports a 5-3
won-lost record. The
Legionnaires pumped 37 drives on
the Rockets cage.
With the victory, Sarnia moved
into a fifth place tie with
Strathroy, one point behind
fourth ranked London.
Attendance was 1,172.
The Legionnaires return to
action Sunday when they travel
to Chatham to face the Maroons.
Their next home game is
Thursday, Oct. 22 when they will
host the St. Marys Lincolns.
