NORTH YORK, ON – The Buffalo Junior Sabres opened their 2013-14 OJHL season with a win on the road, defeating the host North York Rangers by a score of 4-2 Sunday afternoon at the Carnegie Centennial Arena.
After a scoreless first period, the hosts scored first at the 8:08 mark of the second period on the power play, with Gabriel Valenzuela putting the Rangers up, 1-0. Buffalo responded with four unanswered goals. Michael Ederer scored first to tie the game at the 11:33 mark of the second period, assisted by Daniel LaFontaine. Darren McCormick (left photo) then scored what proved to be the game winner at the 14:21 mark of the period, assisted by Nick DeSimone and team captain Ryan Schmelzer.
Josh Gabriel put the Jr. Sabres ahead by 3-1 with just 18 seconds left in the second period with a shorthanded goal assisted by Mason Evans.
At the 14:03 mark of the third period Buffalo was on the power play as a line of returning players teamed up to make it 4-1. Nolan Sheeran scored on the man advantage. Schmelzer picked up his second assist of the game while Pat Egan had the other assist.
The Rangers’ Anthony Latina scored at the 16:49 mark of the third to cut the lead but Buffalo held on for the remainder of the contest.
Goaltender Joseph Pianta (right photo), acquired by the Jr. Sabres from the Toronto Lakeshore Patriots during the summer, stopped 32 shots to win in his Buffalo debut.
The Jr. Sabres host their home opener Monday, September 9 beginning at 7:30 p.m. against Pianta’s former mates the Patriots at the Northtown Center at Amherst.
