Falcons finish first overall; Mets place third; Panthers still alive
The St. Catharines Rankin Construction Falcons lost both their games this weekend but still managed to finish the season in first place.
The Falcons dropped a 4-2 decision at Caledonia Saturday to conclude the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League regular season with 72 points which tied them with both the Fort Erie Meteors and Ayr Centennials, but the Falcons were awarded first place in the Eastern Conference over the Centennials after winning the season series 3-1.
The Meteors took four of five from the Falcons during the regular season but collected two less wins than both St. Catharines and Ayr and will finish the season in third place.
The Meteors could have taken first place with a win in Cambridge Saturday, but dropped a 2-1 overtime decision.
The Centennials were in the same boat as the Meteors needing a win to have a chance at first but lost 5-4 in overtime to Brantford Saturday afternoon.
Falcons president of hockey operations and head coach Tyler Bielby feels placing first is a notable accomplishment.
“We’re really just trying to focus on what’s next, but to tell those kids that it means nothing for them to finish top of the 11-team conference through 50 games would probably just be a lie,” he said. “I’m proud of them, but we’re ready to play whoever it is that will be in front of us.”
Nathan Duplessis and Dillon Atkinson scored for St. Catharines, which trailed 2-1 after two. Atkinson’s goal brought the Falcons to within one halfway through the third before Joshua Cacciola netted an insurance marker for Caledonia at 19:25 into an empty net.
Cacciola finished with two goals while Drew Agnew and Brody Leet also scored.
Keegan Jackson kicked out 46 shots for the Corvairs.
Bielby said the Corvairs gave the Falcons all they could handle.
“I mean there’s no way Caledonia was gonna lay over and give us first place. There’s a lot of history there,” he said. “As much as maybe their seeding is pretty set, we knew that they were gonna give us a game and they did. It was physical, it was fast, it was a one-goal game and an empty net.”
Hayden Jeffery made 36 saves and was pulled with just over seven minutes to play once the Falcons knew they had clinched first.
“It’s been a lot of hockey for Hayden recently,” Bielby said. “He faced way too many shots. We weren’t good enough in our zone. If it wasn’t for Hayden, that score would have been worse so we’ve got to be better.”
Bielby said he expects the Falcons first round to begin Friday at home.
RedHawks 2 Mets 1 OT
Cameron Fries scored 3:30 into overtime as the RedHawks prevailed to keep the Mets from finishing in first.
Following a scoreless first period, the RedHawks took a 1-0 lead in the second on a goal by Seth Huygen. Owen Cressman tied the score nine minutes into the third for Fort Erie.
John Lloyd took the loss, making 27 saves.
Panthers 5 Bombers 0
The Pelham Panthers kept their playoff hopes alive with a 5-0 win at Caledon.
The Panthers trail both Hamilton and Brantford by one point for the eighth and final playoff spot. The Panthers host the Titans Sunday at 7:15 with eighth place on the line. The Kilty B’s have concluded their schedule.
Jack Havers collected three goals for Pelham while Dylan Leslie and Ryan Wercholaz added singles.
Logan Snyder earned the shutout with 23 saves.
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