MIMICO MOUNTAINEERS AND TORONTO BEACHES WIN AGAIN ON BUSY OJLL WEDNESDAY

Both undefeated OJLL teams were on the road Wednesday night – the Mimico Mountaineers in St Catharines, and Toronto Beaches in Burlington. Despite both facing surges from the Athletics and Blaze respectively, both remain perfect. Also on Wednesday, the Oakville Buzz picked up their third win of the season over Kitchener-Waterloo.

At Canada Games Park in St Catharines, the OJLL TV game of the week, Mimico led 5-1 after the first period. Lucas Dudemaine wheeled over the top and hit a buzzer-beating sidearm for his second goal and fourth point of the period.

After Finn Thomson extended the lead in the second, St Catharines ran off seven goals, at one point three in 52 seconds including a pair of power play goals from Keaton Zavitz, to trail 9-8 after two. Gavin Howard tied the game, again on the power play, early in the third. But Dudemaine and Thomson would both score again, giving Mimico an 11-10 lead, improving to 5-0 on the season.

Lucas Dudemaine matched a career-high with four goals, and set a new career best with 10 points. His 33 in five games sit him one back of Finn Thomson for sixth in OJLL scoring. Thomson scored a hat trick and added two assists and is just one point off the all-time Mimico points record. St Catharines was led by Zackary Toll’s career-best eight points (3+5).

  ************************************************************

After losing their first home game of the season Sunday against Oakville, the Burlington Blaze welcomed the unbeaten Toronto Beaches to The Oven. The Blaze put up their biggest scoring period of the season in the first, but were shutout in the second, eventually losing their second straight at home, 10-9.

Burlington led 7-5 after the first thanks to four points from Sawyer English, and three from Brinley Wilson in just his second OJLL game. Greg Palmer scored twice, as did Willem Firth. Both would have a pair of points in the second period where Toronto scored three straight goals including a pair from Matt Collison. Despite back-to-back goals from Gavin Thibeault and Alex Marinier to take the lead, Palmer scored again with eight minutes to play. After the Blaze called time out, Firth intercepted a cross-floor pass and ran in transition, scoring the game-winner with one second on the clock. Toronto improves to 6-0 with a 10-9 win.

 Willem Firth’s game winner completed his hat trick in a seven point night. He now has 48 in six games to lead the OJLL. Greg Palmer had six points (3+3) and Matt Collison (2+2) had four. Will MacLeod is four points back of Firth with 44 in seven games after a six assist night. Sawyer English (1+5) also had six points while Gavin Thibeault (2+3) had five.

 ************************************************************

It wasn’t just a big night for the usual suspects – Oakville’s Will Sheehan had another big game for the Buzz in their 12-5 home win against Kitchener-Waterloo.

Sheehan scored the lone goal of the first period, but would add four points (two more goals) in the second. KW sprinkled three goals through the period to trail 5-3, despite taking four straight penalties. Nathan Ward and Chris Rathwell helped tie the game early in the second, but it was all Oakville from there on as the Buzz scored seven unanswered for a 12-5 win.

Will Sheehan led the all runners with seven points (4+3). Jack MacAlpine was right behind with six (2+4), and Riley Ford had five (3+2). Kitchener’s Chris Rathwell (1+2), Malikye Good (1+2) and Max Frattaroli (0+3) all had three points.