Blades Lead Fizzles
Submitted by: Blenheim Blades
www.blenheimblades.com
Blenheim Blades jumped out to a 2-0 first-period lead before 424 fans Sunday night at the Blenheim arena, but then ran out of gas as the Essex 73’s mounted an assault the ended in a 4-2 Provincial Junior Hockey League Stobbs Division victory for the defending champs.
Photo by Kelsey Vermeersch/ CKSN.ca
The Blades continue to lead the division with an 11-4-2 record and 24 points, six up on the Amherstburg Admirals who beat the Wallaceburg Lakers 5-0 Sunday, and seven ahead of the 73’s who have played five less games.
In other action the Lakeshore Canadiens blasted the Dresden Kings 9-3.
Sunday’s game was the third in four nights for the Blades, and by the second period it really showed as the Blades managed only four shots, and it was worse in the final 20 minutes as they could muster only three.
Essex wasn’t much better in the second period with only seven shots, but came alive in the third and broke a 2-2 tie with a pair of goals on 11 shots.
On the night the 73’s outshot the Blades 34-17.
Bryce Broad opened the scoring for the Blades with a powerplay goal at 7:48 of the first period, with assists going to Owen Bateman and Braeden Allore. The goal was Broad’s seventh of the year.
Then, just a little over four minutes later Kier Cumming went in, beat two Essex defenders and slipped the puck by Matt Badour for his eighth tally at 11:56, but things went downhill from there.
Blades goalie Eric Stewardson and Nick Delyzer assisted on the play.
Eric Shaw got Essex on the board at the 15-minute mark, and then with just two-tenths of a second left in the first period Riley Meyerink tied things at 2-2.
There was no scoring in the second period with Blake McConville netting the eventual winner for Essex at 2:40 of the third, and Matthew Rosati adding an insurance goal at 10:44.
BLADES BITS: The Blades and 73’s have now met twice, with each winning in the other team’s arena as the Blenheim beat Essex 1-0 Oct. 4…The Blades will now get a much needed week’s rest as they do not play again until Sunday when the Petrolia Flyers come to town at 7 p.m.…The Blades were without forwards George Wood and Carter Wright…Wood was sitting out the first of a two-game suspension, while Wright missed the contest because of an injury…During the game defencemen Chris Hall and Patrick Wright went to the dressing room because of injuries and did not return…The team will be holding a Quarter Auction Friday at the Blenheim Legion…Tickets are available in the lobby during home games…The Blades Alumni will be hosting a “Steak Night” Monday, Nov. 7 at the Blenheim Legion. The cost is $15 and tickets are available in the lobby at home games or by calling Dave at 519-676-2022, Ryan at 519-359-6514 or Lee at 519-676-5204.