Captain Nathan Mater
slides one past to
score first goal of
the season
The Sarnia
Legionnaires opened
the 2014-2015
Greater Ontario Jr B
Hockey League season
in front of 1,076
home town fans and
they didn't
disappoint taking a
6 - 4 win over the
2014 Western
Conference Champions
Leamington Flyers.
"A great effort."
Head Coach Dan Rose
said "We
scored early and
that was not
necessarily a good
thing as I think the
boys let up a little
bit. That team over
there has got 12 –
13 guys from last
year championship
team so they know
how to play."
It took just twenty
seconds into the
game for the red
light to light up
after Legionnaires
Captain Nathan Mater
found the opening
from an awkward
position.
Riley Roberts and
Tyler Prong earned
the assist on the
first goal of the
season.
After the first goal
Leamington went on
and scored three
goals to give the
Flyers a 3 - 1 lead
after the first
period.
Scoring for the
Flyers were Cale
Phibbs, Thomas
Virban (PP) and
Chris Scott.
In the second on the
power play Kyler
Keating took the
shot from the
blueline that hit
the stick of Riley
Babkirk that found
the back of the net.
Bobby King earned an
assist on the play.
At 15:05 Cameron
Clarke from Nathan
Mater set the play
passing it over to
Jay Clarke who
punched it in to
even the score.
Score remained tied
3 - 3 at the end of
the second period.
Another Diving shot
by Mater regains
lead for the
Legionnaires
In the third Mater
beat the netminder
again taking the
shot as on his way
down to give Sarnia
the 4 - 3 lead.
Jay Clarke and Kyler
Keating earned the
assist on the play.
Keating wearing #28
recently traded from
Lambton Shores
playing in his first
Legionnaires game
scored his first
goal of the season
that turned out to
be the game winner
on a power play with
Tyler Longo and
Brandon Layman
assisting that gave
Sarnia a 5 - 3 lead.
"It was a pass out
to the point kind of
shot it and it went
in over the goalie
shoulder." Keating
said describing the
game winning goal.
"I
didn’t at all expect
to have a good game
in my debut as a
Legionnaire."
Keating said .
There was a little
bit of nerves being
the first game big
game in front of the
home crowd
but
I’m more comfortable
now I will just go
from there"
Leamington fought
back and at 18:49
with the extra
attacker Alex
Friesen scored to
narrow the gap.
With the net still
empty Riley Babkirk
secured the win for
the Legionnaires
scoring into the
empty net.
Kyler Keating earned
his 4th point of the
game with an assist
on the play.
Bobby King was also
given an assist.
"Keating played
really well. I
thought Trottier had
a great game, our
Captain Nathan Mater
he came up big for
us and showed why
he’s the captain but
everybody competed
hard tonight." Rose
said
Leamington outshot
Sarnia 31-25.
Hunter Johnson
earned the win in
net for the
Legionnaires making
twenty seven saves,
Trevor Wheaton made
nineteen saves in
net for the Flyers.
"Hunter is
consistent, we know
he’s not going to
allow a lot of
goals." Rose said
about his starting
goalie. "You have to
work hard to beat
him and that team
does work hard. That
last goal that they
got was a beauty it
was fun to watch.
Even though it was
their goal that was
an amazing goal."
"Other than that I
thought our guys in
general played
really well it’s a
good first game in
our barn our compete
level is where I
like to see it."
Sarnia scored twice
on ten power play
opportunities,
Leamington scored
one on four.
"We got to work on
our power play."
Rose said "That team
there has the best
PK in the league and
they have for the
last three years so
they really tested
us tonight.
"We just threw those
units together
before the game
tonight, so the kids
hadn’t even played
together yet."
The Legionnaires are
back in action at
home this Thursday
September 11 when
they host Strathroy.
Game time is set for
7:10 at the Sarnia
Arena.
- Meet the
Newcomers -
not pictured #30
Cornel Felder
Goalie - Hometown
Petrolia, On
Attended Hill
Academy last season.
#6 Tyler Longo
Forward - Etobicoke,
On
Played for the
Toronto Young
Nationals last year
earned an assist in
opening game
#7 Sam McCormack
Defence - Hometown
Sarnia, On
Last season was with
the Mooretown Flags
Jr. C
#24 Cameron Clarke
Defence - Hometown
Toledo, OH USA
Making his debut in
Canada. Played
for the Michigan
Hounds last season.
earned an assist in
the opening game
#25 Ryan Trottier
Forward - Home town
Petrolia, On
Last season played
for Lambton Shores
Predators