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 Jesse
Drydak and Tanner Tomlinson paced the Sarnia
Legionnaires to a big win over the Lambton Shores
Predators Thursday.
Drydak had six points (one goal and five assists)
and Tomlinson four (two goals and two helpers) as
the Legion crew coasted to a 12-5 victory.
With the outburst, Drydak now leads the Western
Ontario Hockey Confernce team in scoring with 43
points.
More importantly, the outcome moved sixth place
Sarnia within one point of the fifth ranked St.
Marys Lincolns and within three of St. Thomas, which
holds down fourth spot.
The
Legionnaires are now three games above .500 with a
17-14-3 record.
"We
passed the puck really, really well,” coach Dan Rose
said afterward. “The kids cycled the puck well.”
Weird game
But
Rose added, “It was a weird game to play, at this
time of year” because so many regulars were out of
both lineups.
The
Legionnaires were missing six regulars but the
Predators were in even worse shape, taking to the
ice with just 13 skaters and two goaltenders.
Sarnia filled the gaps with callups from the Jr. 'C'
Mooretown Flags. They included Travis Mullin, Mike
Burns, Jason Teshke, Josh Teshke and Derek D'Andrea.
Those four combined for six points.
“"The
kids from Mooretown played well for us,” Rose said,
adding he can understand why several of them have
put up big point totals in Jr. 'C' ranks this
winter.
Quick start
The
Legionnaires came out flying, with Tomlinson scoring
from Andy Sokol before the fans had barely settled
into their seats at the RBC Centre.
Before the five minute mark, rookie Nathan Mater
made it 2-0 when he jammed home a loose puck sitting
in the crease. The powerplay marker was assisted by
Drydak and Shawn Waldie.
Just when it looked as if the Legionnaires were
going to run away with it, Matt Rupert scored to cut
the lead in half.
D'Andrea, who was only recently sent to Mooretown,
got his fourth of the year when he scored during a
goalmouth scramble. Helpers went to Ilya Arkalov and
Tyler Annett.
But
the Predators clawed their way back into the game
when Braden Merritt scored late to send the teams to
the intermission with Sarnia ahead just 3-2.
Preds take the lead
The
Predators struck twice in three minutes early in the
second stanza to take their only lead of the
contest. Merritt and Matt Rupert again did the
damage.
But
the Legionnaires rallied, with Drydak leading the
charge.
The
high-scoring right-winger beat Preds goalie Chris
Clark with a laser beam from the top of the faceoff
circle that went in high on the glove side. The
goal, Drydak's 21st of the season, was
set up by Shawn Waldie.
Just past the mid-point of the second frame,
Tomlinson barged through the Lambton Shores defence
and ripped home a shot that gave the Legionnaires a
5-4 edge. Drydak and Mater assisted.
Braden Kavaratzis scored what turned out to be the
winner with less than four minutes left in the
period when, standing alone right in front of the
net, he beat the goalkeeper, who was down and out of
position. Arkalov and Tanner Ferguson set up the
goal, which was the fourth of the year for
Kavaratzis.
Before the period came to a merciful close, Mater
struck for his second of the game and his 11th
of the year, tapping in a rebound from close range.
Drydak and Tomlinson assisted.
Flags shine
 Arkalov
got the third stanza off on the right foot for
Sarnia when he jumped on a puck sitting in the blue
ice and tapped it home. For the Russian teen, it was
his seventh of the season.
Josh Teschke made it 9-4 with a helper from his
brother, Jason.
Waldie put Sarnia into double figures when he out-watied
the goalie, then lifted a nifty backhander into the
net for his 11th of the year. Drydak and
Kavaratzis assisted.
The
prettiest goal of the night was scored by Mike Burns
who finished off a tick-tack-toe passing play by
slamming the puck into an open cage after being set
up by the pesky Teschke brothers.
"That was a beautiful goal,” Rose said. “I think
there were four passes.”
After Cody Trowell got the last Preds goal, Sokol
tipped in a passout to close out the scoring.
Tomlinson and Kavaratzis got assists on the play,
which saw the puck cross the line in almost slow
motion.
Kyle Washer made 20 saves to pick up the win, which
brings his record up to 14-2-1. Sarnia had 49 shots
on net.
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