Sarnia Jr B Pacers lost home opener to Red Devils

May 3,  2012

Sarnia, On - To quote a fan on the way out after the game  "if the third was the first they would have won" after the Pacers lost their home opener 12 - 8 in front of 400 fans in Ontario Lacrosse Jr B action Wednesday night at the Clearwater arena against the Wallaceburg Red Devils.

This was the second game of a home/home series between the Sarnia Pacers and the Wallaceburg Red Devils.  

In the first period it was all Wallaceburg as they scored seven goals, five of them on the powerplay. 

"First period we dug a big hole" said coach Kevin Huggett  "Playing the whole period in the penalty box will kill you."
 

Wallaceburg continued to score in the second with the first just :15 seconds into the period.  Four minutes later Sarnia scored their first goal with Kevin Hussy from Kevin Conroy and TJ Mara scoring.  Wallaceburg then went on and added three more goals,  two more on the powerplay. TJ Mara scored Sarnia's first powerplay goal for Sarnia in the last minute of the second and the period ended with Wallaceburg leading 11 - 2.
 

Third period saw Sarnia dig in and they went on and scored six goals in the period, three on the powerplay.  Wallaceburg added a single in the third. Scoring for Sarnia were TJ Mara scored with 2 goals and singles by Kevin Hussey, Conner Smith, Kyle Conroy and Dan Charlton.

Wallaceburg's Clint Larmash earned 8 points in the game with 4 goals and 4 assist.  Rob Pollock earned 7 with 4 goals and 3 assists and single goal scorers were Jordan Durston, Jordan VanDamme, Travis Bentley and Joel Shepley.

Starting in net for the Pacers was Justin Matthews allowing 9 goals before being replaced by  Ian Ferguson who gave up 3.  Matthews faced 33 shots on goal, Ferguson faced 19.

Ryan Schuetmzkowski earned the win allowing 4 goals.  He was replaced midway in the third by Eric Shepley who also allowed 4 goals.  Schuetmzkowski faced 33 shots, Shepley faced 12. Sarnia went 4 for 10 on powerplay opportunities, Wallaceburg went 7 for 9.

 "This is just our second game, we are still getting the bugs out." said Coach Huggett "we have a lot of work to  do."
 

The Pacers will travel to the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena in Hagersville on Friday May 4 when they go up against Six Nations.  The Pacers are back at home on Monday May 7 at 8:00 pm where they will go up against Wallaceburg for the third time.