By Darryl G. Smart
Not hearing James Valente’s name is generally a good thing. The steady Caledonia Corvairs defencemen has been an anchor on the blue line for the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League leaders.
But Saturday was different.
Though Valente was his usual steady self on defence, he scored two goals and added a helper in a 6-3 victory over the Buffalo Regals Hockey.
Valente bookended the Corvairs’ first-period scoring, after Joel Mazzilli and Danyk Drouin opened the scoring.
Brendan Krawczyk had the lone Regals response.
Tyler Burnie and Valente added to the Corvairs lead in the second period, before Cameron Clark and Daniel Pfalzer netted goals for the Regals.
Burnie added his second of the game early in the third period.
The next day on the road, Burnie scored late in the third period to lift the Corvairs to a 3-2 win over the Pelham Panthers.
After Dylan D’Agostino gave the Corvairs a first-period lead, Mazzilli added to the cause in the second.
Cody Miskolczi responded at the end of the second period to give the Panthers a little momentum heading into the final frame. Julien Bianchi then tied things up eight minutes into the third period, setting up Burnie’s heroics.
The pair of victories give the Corvairs a 36-3-0-1, which leads the entire GOJHL.
Wednesday, the Corvairs are on the road when they cross the border to take on the Regals at 7pm, before Friday’s game, also on the road at 7pm, against the St. Catharines Falcons. Saturday, the Corvairs return home to take on the Welland Jr. Canadians at 7:30pm.
NOTE: Newly acquired Cole Tymkin will finally make his Corvairs debut on Wednesday. He was serving a suspension he received when playing for the Londond Knights of the Ontario Hockey League.