BEACHES BLOW AWAY BRAMPTON WITH BIG THIRD PERIOD

The Brampton Excelsiors played well during their six-game home stand running their wins total to six entering play Sunday night. However, with the powerhouse Toronto Beaches entering Memorial Arena there was a chance the record during this stretch would drop to 2-2. Despite leading through two periods and looking like they’d pull off the upset, the Beaches scored eight unanswered goals in the third to claim their eleventh straight win, 14-8.

As most Brampton offensive games have started this season, Bowie Horsman scored twice within the first six minutes. When the first power play went to Toronto, it was Willem Firth who capitalized, much the way he’s done throughout the season. The teams traded goals twice more before AJ Nikolic scored his first OJLL goal late in the period, and then Firth again, also on the power play pulled the Beaches within one, 5-4.

Brampton would add two more goals through the first half of the second period from Erich Acton and a power player marker from Nolan Byrne to stretch the lead. Matt Collison sandwiched a pair of goals around one from Tye Scott to see the second end 8-6, still in favour of the Excelsiors.

Toronto took off in the third. 2:28 in Liam MacLeod scored his first OJLL goal. Goal No. 2 followed just over a minute later. Collison and Firth then went back-to-back in just over a minute and a half. And, with seven minutes to play, Collison scored two more in 1:10. The night was capped by power play goals from Peyton Booth and Sheldon Broughton (also his first OJLL goal), and a 14-8 Toronto Beaches win.

Another game, another big night for Willem Firth (3+4), Matt Collison (4+3) and Greg Palmer (1+6) who all had seven points. In 11 games, Firth and Palmer are first and second in OJLL points with 83 and 65 respectively. Firth’s 44 goals also leads the league.

Bowie Horsman led the Excelsiors with four points (2+2). Though they’ve been hot lately, the Beaches defence held the combination of Tye Scott (1+0), Erich Acton (1+0) and Nolan Byrne (1+1) to a combined four points. Connor O’Toole started again and now leads the OJLL with 665 minutes played. In the first he did take a shot up high and was down in his crease, but recovered and stayed in the game.