Buffalo Falls Short in Shootout

(Amherst, NY) – The Buffalo Junior Sabres’ three-game win streak was snapped by the same team that beat them before the start of the streak, the North York Rangers. Liam Kerins’ successful shootout goal lifted the visitors to the win.
Buffalo opened the scoring at the 14:13 mark of the first period when Max Mikowski (file photo) scored on a 5-on-3 power play. Just over a minute later, Adam Valadao even the score for the Rangers.
John Carpino put North York in the lead at the 7:00 mark of the second period, but Buffalo countered in the third with Pat Egan’s goal at the 3:09 mark.
The game went into overtime but neither team could score, including an unsuccessful Buffalo power play.
In the shootout, Buffalo’s Tyler Gjurich succeeded on the opening shot but the Rangers’ Zachary Fung countered right after. Ryan Schmelzer and Josh Kielich could not score for Buffalo, nor could Carpino and Corey Kalk. After Egan’s unsuccessful attempt, Kerins clinched the win.
Jr. Sabres goaltender Bobby Bloomfield made his second start of the season, stopping 31 shots.
The Jr. Sabres fall to 6 wins and three losses on the season and return to action on Saturday night at Burlington against the Cougars.

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The game took a frightening turn late in the second period when a puck that left the playing area struck the team’s acting music and public address officer in the head.  The staffer was taken to a local hospital for observation.  He was communicating with emergency medical staff as he was removed from the rink and later with a Jr. Sabres staff member who went to the hospital to visit with him.  We’re told he should be OK.  The Jr. Sabres wish to thank everyone who has forwarded concerns and good wishes.

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Wednesday night’s game also saw a temporary change in the Jr. Sabres’ online play-by-play calling.  Ric Seiling, the regular “voice of the Jr. Sabres” was unavailable due to other business, so backup play-by-play announcer Michael Mroziak made his OJHL play-by-play debut.  Mroziak, who worked alongside Seiling last season but this year serves as public address announcer, will fill in for Seiling on occasions when the former Buffalo Sabres forward’s broadcast obligations with the American Hockey League’s Rochester Americans cause a scheduling conflict.