(Amherst, NY) – The Buffalo Jr. Sabres squandered a 3-1 lead and fell apart in the third period, with the Toronto Jr. Canadiens skating away 5-3 winners at the Northtown Center at Amherst Wednesday night.
Toronto opened the scoring with just under one minute remaining in the first period on a goal by Michael Cuddemi, assisted by Dalton Hnatko and Joseph Santino.
Buffalo responded in the second period with three straight goals, starting with Pat Egan’s 18th goal of the season on the power play at the 2:10 mark, assisted by Ben Casale and Tim Kielich. Defenseman Darrin Trebes (in photo, courtesy OJHL Images) scored his first of the season at the 13:30 mark, assisted by Nolan Sheeran and Sean Federow. Just seconds later, with Buffalo shorthanded, Sheeran scored his 10th goal of the season, assisted by Alex Dagnal.
The Jr. Canadiens stepped up their forechecking in the third period and began their rally with Santino’s goal at the 1:51 mark, which cut the lead to 3-2. Toronto tied the game at the 3:13 mark with Anthony Repaci’s tally. Nicholas Jarzabek scored what proved to be the game winner at the 12:50 mark, and then Danny Liscio completed the visitors’ come-from-behind win with his goal at the 18:36 mark.
Parker Gahagen took the loss for Buffalo, stopping 23 shots. Toronto goalie Denny Dubblestyne stopped 22 Buffalo shots to earn the win.
The Jr. Sabres (27 wins, 10 losses, 2 shutout losses) travel to the Toronto Lakeshore Patriots on Saturday evening for their last game of 2012. The team’s next home game is Wednesday, January 2, 2013 at the Northtown Center at Amherst against the Milton Icehawks beginning at 7:30pm.
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The Grinch has paid a visit to the Jr. Sabres just before Christmas in the form of the injury bug. Josh Kielich continues to nurse a shoulder problem, while Derek Patterson suffered a shoulder injury in Tuesday night’s win over Toronto Lakeshore. Dylan Howatt was being evaluated after suffering a direct hit to the upper body by a puck. Kielich and Howatt are both expected to sit out the Central Canada Cup Challenge next week in Wellington, Ontario.
To make up for absences, the Jr. Sabres called up Frank Hora and Matt Nuttle from the Jr. Sabres (Buffalo Regals) midget program.
