(Amherst, NY) – The Buffalo Junior Sabres jumped out to a 2-0 lead early, but the Orangeville Flyers slowly crept back into the contest, forced overtime, then completed their comeback in the shootout, 3-2.
Buffalo’s Kollin Schultz opened the scoring at the 7:20 mark of the first period, assisted by Dylan Howatt and Josh Kielich. Kielich added his own goal at the 11:07 mark, beating Orangeville goalie Jared Lockhurst high to give the Jr. Sabres a 2-0 lead. Late in the first, Orangeville got on the scoreboard on Sean Perichak’s goal, assisted by Geoff Berzruchko and Daniel Poutsoungas.
There was no scoring in the second period, but in the third the Flyers forced the tie when Blake Forslund pounced on a deflected pass and beat Jr. Sabres goalie Parker Gahagen to even the game at 2-2. The goal was again assisted by Berzruchko and Poutsoungas. With no more scoring, this game was heading into overtime.
With no one able to score in OT, the teams settled the game in the shootout. Buffalo’s Max Mikowski succeeded on his attempt, as did Orangeville’s Forslund. The Flyers’ Daniel Holt also scored, and with Jonas Fredriksson and Mark Arnone unable to score for Buffalo, Holt’s goal proved to be the winner.
Gahagen made 34 saves for the hosts, while Lockhurst turned aside 27 Buffalo shots.
The Jr. Sabres did earn a point in the standings by virtue of a regulation tie, but that was not enough for them to overtake Georgetown in the Ontario Junior Hockey League West Division standings. Still in third, the Jr. Sabres will travel to Georgetown to face the Raiders on Saturday, after a Thanksgiving night tilt in Newmarket.
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NOTES: Due to human error, shots that were actually made in the third period of Monday night’s game were inadvertently recorded on Pointstreak under the second period. The total shot count is otherwise correct. We sincerely regret the error.
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Website note: The latest edition of Junior Sabres Journal will be released on Wednesday, November 23.
