The biggest two points ever.
That was what one Amherstburg Admirals player said as he and his teammates came off the ice at the Libro Centre Saturday night.
Trailing by a goal, the hosts came back to beat the Wheatley Sharks 2-1 in PJHL Jr. C action.
With just one second left in the contest, recently acquired forward Jayden Seguin got his first for the blue-and-white. The goal was set up by defenceman Jake Goudreault who, along with fellow veteran Darby Drouillard had a big role in the buzzer-beater victory.
After a scoreless first period, Sharks’ Josh Chauvin put his team on the board with a powerplay tally but it was all Amherstburg in the third. At 5:23 Cole Vaillancourt got his third of the year from Brett Jones and Drouillard who made a great play along the boards at the blueline to keep the puck in the Wheatley zone.
“It’s happening a lot more where you look for the defence to create more offence,” said Drouillard the Admirals captain. “I knew we had to push for a goal.”
Both he and Goudreault dished out some big hits on the night in a game that had a playoff intensity. With the faceoff in the Sharks end with seven seconds left in the game, he helped get the puck to Seguin in front of the net for the winner.
“We feel the strength of our team is our blueline,” said Amherstburg GM Andrew Sykes.
The win against Wheatley made it three wins each on the season for the two teams who, along with Blenheim and Mooretown are battling for mid-division playoff positions.
“We even the series with them and it’s a team we could see in the playoffs. You want to have home ice advantage,” said Sykes.
For Drouillard, who is in his final year of junior hockey, it was a win over the team he played for last year and after the game he said it was a nice way to start off the New Year. He was acquired in the off-season from the Sharks.
Asked what it was like playing against his former team, he said, “I just put that aside and come ready to work. I’ve been changing teams all my life.”
Russell Vaughan picked up the win in net Saturday as he made 23 saves and at the other end Jaxon Drysdale was busier, making 34 stops.
It was back-to-back wins at home for the Admirals as Sunday they built a 3-0 lead en route to a 4-1 win over the Mooretown Flags. Dallas Kelly led the way for Amherstburg with a goal and a pair of assists. Also scoring for the winners in the penalty-filled game were Darby Drouillard, Seguin and Wyatt Goudie. Jack Bulmer chipped in with a pair of helpers.
Dominic DeZorzi made 23 saves in net for the win which saw the Admirals improve their record to 15-12-1-0 and move into a tie for third with the Sharks in the West Stobbs Division.
It’s three games in four nights for Amherstburg as they were in Essex Tuesday night. Another big weekend ahead as they host Blenheim Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Lakeshore is in town the next night at 6:30 p.m.
SLAPSHOTS: Amherstburg has shuffled its lineup a bit, sending Kaden Juodikis to Walpole Island for a Player Development Fee. Added to the roster is Tyler Vriesma, a 6’2”, 185-pound forward. He played for Essex U18… Forward Drew Booker remains out with an injury… Goudreault, Jones and Jack Bulmer represented the locals at the recent All-Star game that saw Bulmer get an assist as the Stobbs Division beat the Yeck Division, 8-5.
By Fred Groves
Defence the key as Admirals win twice at home
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