Blades Unbeaten Streak Hits Three, Beat Flags 3-2

SUBMITTED BY: BLENHEIM BLADES
www.blenheimblades.com

The first place Blenheim Blades ran their unbeaten streak to three games Sunday night thanks to a 3-2 Provincial Junior Hockey League Stobbs Division victory over the Mooretown Flags before 333 fans at the Blenheim arena.

The Blades now own a 4-1-2 record good enough for 10 points, three up on the second place Essex ’73s and four ahead of the Petrolia Flyers, who they play Thursday at 7:30 in Petrolia.

It took no time at all for the Blades to grab the lead against the Flags as Dustin Maines scored his second goal of the season with the game just 40 seconds old.  Assists went to Brayden Hopkins and Brayden Seliga.

Blenheim upped the lead to 2-0 when Kier Cumming netted his fifth tally at 6:09 with assists going to Zach Horvath and Nick Delyzer.

The two goal lead did not last long as Ryan Lyle got the Flags back in the game just a minute and 51 seconds later to wrap up the first period scoring.

The teams traded second period goals to end the scoring for the night with Horvath getting the eventual winner at 2:26 and Joe DeSena adding Mooretown’s final score at 3:41.

Delyzer and Cumming assisted on Horvath’s goal giving that forward threesome 16 points in the last two games.

Eric Stewardson picked up the win in goal for the Blades thanks to a strong game as he stopped 29 of 31 Mooretown shots, while Chatham’s Nolan Hakr was almost as good for the Flags stopping 29 of 32 Blades shots. Stewardson has won four of five starts.

The game was a tame affair with each team taking just three minor penalties.

BLADES BITS: The Blades were once again short manpower as defencemen Owen Bateman and Braeden Allore, and forwards Carter Wright, Matt Clark and Michael Vanek missed the contest for various reasons…Bateman, Allore and Clark continue to sit out suspensions with the two defencemen having one game to go and Clark two, while Wright was working and Vanek out with an injury…The Blades dressed three affiliate players – defenceman Colton Shoemaker and forwards Ethan Paxton and Seth Henderson…Farm Credit Canada was on hand to pick up food bags containing of 252 pounds of non-perishable items and a $30 donation that will be given to the Blenheim Food Bank…The Blades do not play at home next Sunday but will return Sunday, Oct. 16 to face the Wallaceburg Lakers…The three stars of the game were Cumming, Delyzer and Stewardson.