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 Brent
Sauve was the hero Thursday as the Sarnia
Legionnaires snapped their four-game losing streak
with a thrilling 3-2 win over the St. Thomas Stars.
Sauve scored the winner late in the third period,
then made a brilliant defensive play on a penalty
kill to help preserve the victory.
Afterward, coach Dan Rose had praise for the entire
team, saying his charges were blocking shots and
putting pressure on the Stars all night, especially
during shorthanded situations.
In fact, St. Thomas was 0-for-4 with the man
advantage.
Sarnia got the only powerplay goal of the contest
late in the first period when Jesse Drydak sent a
hard wrist shot under the crossbar from 15 feet out.
Captain Tyler Cicchini and defenceman Brent Sullivan
assisted. For Sullivan, who was a tow er
of strength on the Legionnaires blueline, it was his
second point in two games since joining the Greater
Ontario Junior Hockey League squad.
Drew Collinson squared matters for the Stars in the
second period, scoring on a two-on-one break.
But Sarnia went ahead early in the third stanza when
rookie Brett Thompson accepted a perfect passout
from a very patient Cicchini before roofing his 9th
of the year. Shawn Waldie also got a helper on the
play.
The Stars tied the game with less than eight minutes
to go when Brad Martin caught Sarnia goalie Kyle
Washer out of his net.
But with overtime looming, Sauve got the winner when
he raced to the net and backhanded in a rebound from
close range.
In the dying seconds, with Sarnia killing a penalty,
a lunging Sauve dove to clear the puck out of harm's
way.
Game notes:
· Kyle Washer got the win, bringing his record up to
16-8-1.
· Paid attendance was 1,126, although at times in
the third period it was so loud in the Brock Street
Barn that you would have sworn it was a sellout.
After the game, Rose paid tribute to the fans,
saying they are a big part of the team's success at
home. He added the Legionnaires must find a way to
do better on the road. “We need to be road
warriors,” he said.
· The Legionnaires were missing Jeff Paulley
(suspended) and Owen Rogers and Tanner Ferguson
(both injured).
· Sarnia outshot St. Thomas 44-40.
· Sarnia was 1-for-5 with the man advantage.
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