By Dan McCaffery
STRATHROY – The Sarnia
Legionnaires pulled another
rabbit out of the hat
Sunday, storming back from a
three-goal deficit to edge
the Strathroy Rockets 4-3.
It was Sarnia's second big
rally in two nights.
Twenty-four hours earlier,
the Legion crew had overcome
three deficits to upend the
Lambton Shores Predators 6-4
right in Forest.
"There's a lot of character
in our room,” head coach
Mark Davis said after
watching his charges win
their fourth in a row
Sunday. “A lot of people
thought we were down and out
when Strathroy went ahead
3-0.”
Ryan Vendramin started the
comeback late in the second
period, whipping home a
drive from the faceoff
circle to get the
Legionnaires on the board.
For Vendramin, it was his
team-leading 21st
goal of the campaign.
Big rally
In the intermission, Davis
had a simple message for his
troops. “I said, 'boys, if
we get the first goal (of
the third period) we're
going to win the game.”
Taking his message to heart,
Vendramin raced behind the
Strathroy net just past the
four minute mark of the
final stanza, grabbed a
loose puck and put it right
onto the stick of Brandon
Layman, who was standing in
the slot. He made no
mistake, denting the twine
for his 20th of
the season.
Less than a minute later,
Alec DeKoning came roaring
over the blueline and
unloaded a bazooka-like
blast that tied the game at
3-3.
"Jordan Fogarty got around a
defenceman and got the puck
to me,” DeKoning recalled
afterward. “I squeezed her
five-hole.”
It was DeKonings's ninth of
the year.
Before the period was 10
minutes old, Brock Perry
scored the winner. The
rookie forward found the
back of the net with a hard
wrist shot from the top of
the faceoff circle.
The Legionnaires had a late
scare when they found
themselves short two-men for
almost two minutes. But with
the help of goalie Aidan
Hughes, they held the fort.
Other assists were
awarded to defencemen
Brad Yowart, Sam
McCormack and Brett
Storr, as well as
forwards Jarret Marks
and Fogarty.
Game notes:
-
With the win Sarnia is
now 21-16-2-3. It is
tied for fifth with
LaSalle, two points
behind St. Thomas and
three back of Chatham.
-
The Legionnaires return
to action Thursday when
they host LaSalle at the
Brock Street barn.
-
Hughes registered his
ninth win of the season,
blocking 42 Strathroy
shots. The Sarnians had
34 shots on the Rockets
cage.
-
In addition to his goal,
Layman had two assists.
Vendramin also had a
pair of helpers,
bringing his overall
points total to 60 in
just 32 games played.
