Amherstburg to take on Lakeshore in Stobbs semi-final
For the first time in six years, the Amherstburg Admirals are heading to the second round of the Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL) playoffs.
The Admirals won 7-4 to take the seventh and final game of the West Stobbs Division Sunday night in Wheatley. Amherstburg will now go up against the defending provincial Jr. C champions, Lakeshore Canadiens.
“Their top six is definitely their strength. We can’t go shot for shot with them. They have too much firepower,” said Admirals head coach Zack Gervais.
Game 1 of the PJHL Stobbs Division semi-finals with the Canadiens goes Friday night at the Atlas Tube Centre in Lakeshore and then it’s back at the Libro Centre the next night in Amherstburg for Game 2.
“The boys are exhausted. Our team showed a lot of heart and poise and kept their temper,” said Gervais when asked about the series with the Sharks.
Gervais noted that penalties did plague the Admirals early in the series but a players-only meeting after Game 5 last week seemed to rectify the lack of discipline on the ice.
In front of 560 fans at the Shark Tank, as expected, it was a close one as Tyler Vriesema opened up the scoring for the visiting Admirals but Josh Chauvin evened the count for the hosts. Rory Sandison gave the visitors a one-goal lead before Chauvin got his second to tie it at the break on a powerplay.
Two quick goals by Brady Drouillard, veteran Finnigan Russett, and another by defenceman Jake Goudreault gave Amherstburg a three-goal lead, but with one second left in the middle period Chauvin got his third of the night.
“Our messages as coaches when we went in the room was to just stay calm and say that that was in the past,” said Gervais.
The third period saw Wyatt Goudie and Drew Booker score insurance markers into the empty net for Amherstburg while former Admiral Kyle Bleau replied for the Sharks.
It was the third goal in as many games for the rookie Goudie who was coming off a couple of injuries. Gervais gave him and Dallas Kelly a lot of accolades for their play during the entire series.
“We’ve got some guys banged up but they are playing through everything,” said Gervais.
It was a huge weekend for Amherstburg as, after slipping behind in the series three games to two, they rebounded Saturday night with a dramatic 4-3 overtime win at home before clinching the following night.
Dallas Kelly gave the host Admirals a 1-0 lead last Saturday night at the Libro Centre but it was 2-1 for the visitors after 40 minutes.
Amherstburg dominated the third period as Sandison and Goudie connected.
Wheatley goalie Ethan Handley was penalized for delay of game which set the stage for Ryan Clark’s overtime winner.
“Clark is a veteran. He’s won a Sutherland (Junior B) Cup and he came up big,” said Gervais.
It was Clark’s second point of the game and he was named the Admirals Player of the Game.
The Sharks and Admirals both finished with 43 points over the 42-game schedule and had four playoff games in seven nights.
The host Admirals battled back last Tuesday night but came up short 6-4 and the next night in Wheatley the Sharks prevailed with a 6-3 win to take the lead in the series.
SLAPSHOTS - After seven post-season games, Ryan Clark led offensively with two goals and seven assists for nine points (2-7-9), followed by Drew Booker and his two linemates Brett Jones and Rory Sandison all at 3-5-8… Between the pipes Dominic DeZorzi had a 2.91 GAA and a .910 save percentage… For the Sharks Josh Chavin led the way at 5-8-13 and Braydon Metchalfe at 3-5-8.
Admirals oust Sharks after winning Game 7 of series
By Fred Groves
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