It took over three years to do it, but the Amherstburg Admirals have beaten the Essex 73’s.
The Admirals beat the 73’s last Saturday night in an exciting 3-2 game at the Libro Centre, a game that ended in a shootout.
Following a scoreless first period, veteran Luke Sherk put the visiting 73’s up 1-0 just two minutes into the middle frame. It was 2-1 for Amherstburg after two periods on goals by Brady Drouillard and Drew Booker.
William Claridge scored for the 73’s in the third period to tie the game thanks to a knuckleballer that caught Admirals goalie Russell Vaughan off guard.
Amherstburg has not beaten Essex since a 2-1 win back on Jan. 4, 2022, and the last time they recently met, it was a 9-0 win for the 73’s.
“We changed our defensive zone structure. We know how they play,” said Admirals’ head coach Zack Gervais of the 73’s. “They move differently than any other team in the league.”
Vaughan came up huge in the shootout and Gervais credited work he did getting ready for the game.
“He had a great week in practice. Our goalie coach Matt Anthony got him ready. He’s (Vaughan) quick, very fast and a competitor,” said Gervais.
Vaughan received the Admirals’ Yellow Jacket as the Player of the Game.
After a 4-on-4, seven-minute overtime Brett Jones was able to beat Essex goalie Brogan Calquhan and Jayden Seguin sealed the deal for the Admirals.
Ironically, Seguin started the season wearing the orange-and-white in Essex.
“I didn’t go in with a huge plan,” said Seguin of netting the game winner. “The puck was rolling from the red line all the way to the circle.”
Joining the Admirals just before Christmas, the centre was between Drouillard and Wyatt Goudie.
“There is no better feeling, honestly,” he said of beating his former team. “It was a tough start to the year.”
There was a physical element to Saturday night’s game, which included Essex’s Patrick McManus putting a bruising hit on Amherstburg forward Jayden Brown. Neither team was able to score on their powerplay opportunities.
“We prepared and we know how to play. We brought it to them and we weren’t going to have that happen again,” said Seguin of the previous 9-0 loss. “We were embarrassed by that last game.”
Sunday in Blenheim, a team that the Addys are battling with for a vital playoff position, Amherstburg revealed its inconsistency as they were hammered 8-1 by the Blades. Freddie McCroy had the lone goal for the Admirals.
With a win and a loss for the weekend, Amherstburg now sits at 18-16-1-0 in the West Stobbs Division.
It’s back-to-back games at home this weekend as the Walpole Island Wild are in town Saturday for a 7:30 p.m. start. Amherstburg then takes on the defending champion Lakeshore Canadiens Sunday at 6:30 p.m.
SLAPSHOTS..Working the lines at Saturday’s game versus Essex was former Admirals’ defenceman MJ Schwager… Admirals rookie winger Rory Sandison is second amongst rookie scorers in the West Stobbs Division with 15 goals.
Admirals get shootout win over Essex, lose in Blenheim
By Fred Groves
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