The Amherstburg Admirals’ three-game winning streak came to a halt Saturday night thanks to the Wheatley Sharks.The Sharks came to the Libro Centre and knocked off the Admirals 3-1. Of the five games the Admirals have played in December, they have won all but two games but both of those losses have come at the hands of Wheatley.
It was a former Admiral that helped end Amherstburg’s winning streak as Kyle Bleau scored a pair of third period goals for Wheatley to put them ahead.
After a scoreless first period, Rory Sandison’s 13th goal of the season opened the scoring 7:28 into the second period. Joshua Bleau replied for Wheatley just over eight minutes later and the two teams were tied heading into the third period.
Amherstburg outshot Wheatley on the night 29-26.
“I thought we came out flying,” said Admirals head coach Zack Gervais after Saturday night’s game. ”We just took our foot off the gas.”
Gervais said the Admirals are capable of playing better than they did against the Sharks.
“We’ve got a good group,” he said. “They know they can give a lot more.”
While it was their second game in as many nights, Gervais believed it was a case of a lack of intensity Saturday night that cost them the victory. That happens on occasion, he said, but he was hoping they would end stronger against Wheatley.
The Admirals (12-11-0-3, 25 points) practice this week in preparation for two games this weekend and Gervais said they will practice hard in order to be ready.
Amherstburg played in another 3-1 game Friday night, but that was a win up in Dresden. Cole Vaillancourt and Sandison scored first period goals for the Admirals. The teams played a scoreless second period and after Owen Campbell made it a one-goal game, Amherstburg’s Freddie McCroy scored a powerplay goal in the final minute to seal the win for the Admirals.
“I think the effort has been up the last couple of weeks,” Gervais said. “Every guy has bought in and is playing the right way. It was a good win in Dresden.”
Gervais added young goalie Dominic De Zorzi got the win in Dresden, his first in a few weeks. He said he was happy to see him play well and get the win.
The first of the two games this coming weekend will be a Saturday night home game versus the Essex 73’s. Gervais said they know they have to have a strong effort against a good team like Essex. That game is at the Libro Centre at 7:30 p.m.
The Admirals other game this weekend is also their final game of the 2024 part of their schedule. They are in Blenheim Sunday night for a 7 p.m. game. They don’t start the 2025 portion of the schedule until the weekend of Jan. 4-5 when they have back-to-back home games against Wheatley (Jan. 4 at 7:30 p.m.) and Mooretown (Jan.5 at 6:30 p.m.)
Admirals winning streak ends against Wheatley
By Ron Giofu
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