Local PJHL Roundup:Storoschuk and Noble lead Merchants to victory

By Darryl G. Smart

Joel Storoschuk and Parker Nobel struck twice each to lead the Norwich Merchants to a 6-3 win over the Burford Bulldogs in Provincial Junior Hockey League Doherty Division action.

Isaiah Ilao and Reid Lazou exchanged goals in the first period, before the Merchants took the game over in the second.

Noble scored his first of the game to get things going in the second period, while Storoschuk netted a pair and Austin Forsyth added one as well. Connor MacPhee scored the lone Bulldogs goal of the period.

Noble then added another goal in the third period before Ashton Hall got on the board for the Bulldogs.

Austin Storm was fantastic for the Merchants, making 38 saves, while Richie Little made 27.

The night before, things looked a bit different, as tCarver Monroe faced 70 New Hamburg Firebirds shots en route to a 6-2 loss.

Lazou and Jeremy Marsh scored for the Merchants.

Cedrik Roth, Josh Vale, Owen Bruder, Adam Barr, Brendan Smith and Antonio Pasqualino all scored one goal for the Firebirds.

Friday was also unkind to the Bulldogs, who dropped a 6-1 decision to the Wellesley Applejacks.

Nathan Butler made 43 saves in the loss, while Thomas Morgan scored the lone goal.

Justin McCombs, Carson Wickiie, Connor Doerbecker, Isaiah Katsube, Kobe Seiling, and Eric Lacey all scored for the Firebirds.

The Bulldogs are now 0-19-1-1 and face the Tavistock Braves Friday on the road at 7:30pm, before hosting the Applejacks Saturday at 7:20pm.

The Merchants are clawing their way up the PJHL Doherty Division standings with its 6-12-3-1 record. This weekend they host a pair of games, as well as the PJHL Prospects Game on Saturday. Friday, they take on the Firebirds at 8pm, and the Braves come to town Sunday at 2:30pm.

BLOOMFIELD DIVISION

A win over the Port Dover Sailors has the Dunnville Mudcats right in the thick of things in the Provincial Junior Hockey League’s Bloomfield Division.

On Friday at home, the Mudcats scored three goals in the first period to boost the Mudcats to a 5-1 win over the Sailors.

Jack MacDonald and Owen Ledec scored early, giving the crowd the chance to throw stuffed animals for the team’s annual Teddy Bear Toss. Ethan Doherty added to the lead later in the period.

In the second period, Ledek and Rylan Jacob scored for the Mudcats, while Matt Hielema responded for the Sailors.

Austin Davison made 29 saves for the win.

On Wednesday, Owen McConnell made 57 stops in a losing effort, in a 2-0 loss to the Glanbrook Rangers.

Ethan Cloutier was the only Rangers player to beat McDonnell with his early second-period marker, while Sean Golebiowski added an empty-netter.

The split gives the Mudcats a 8-10-2 record. Despite being in sixth place, they’re only four points out of fifth, which is not too far from the pack vying for the top four spots in the division.

Friday the Mudcats host the Dundas Blues at 7:30pm, before taking on the Grimsby Peach Kings Saturday at 3:30pm on the road.

Sailors drop a pair

After losing to the Mudcats Friday, the Port Dover Sailors dropped a 4-3 overtime decision to the Dundas Blues at home Sunday.

After nobody scored in the first period, Keegan Damota got the Sailors going less than a minute into the second frame. The Blues then responded with two goals from James Almeida less than three minutes apart. The Sailors quickly recovered and got the lead back thanks to Michael Vanacker and Isaac Macaulay.

In the third period.Nicholas Kisil tied things up, before Eric Semiwolos netted the winner in overtime.

Nolan McDowell had another strong game in net for the Sailors, making 38 stops. Ethan Labbe made 44 saves for the Blues.

The Sailors now sit in second spot in the PJHL Bloomfield Division with a 12-7-3 record, only two points behind the first-place Grimsby Peach Kings. They are also one point ahead of hte Blues and lead the Glanbrook Rangers by two points.

Saturday, the Sailors hit the road to play the Hagersville Hawks at 7:30pm, before returning home Sunday at 2pm against the Rangers.