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Legionnaires split home and home with London
andrew brethauer September 1st, 2011

Sarnia, ON - After dropping the first game of a home and home in London 5-4, the Legionnaires returned home to Sarnia for their final preseason match up, where Sarnia came away with a 4-2 victory over the Nationals.

Jesse Drydak scored the go ahead goal in the third, sneaking out from the corner and putting it passed the London goalie against the post to give the Legionnaires a 3-2 lead. Evan Dixon would get the insurance goal on the powerplay, as a redirected point shot would find its way onto Dixon's stick parked at the side of the net.

Sarnia went 3-1 in preseason play with two wins over Strathroy. But an underlining concern with the Legionnaires is the returned of undisciplined play, something that Head Coach Dan Rose says, is going to change.

"We got to many penalties in the first half of the game," said Rose, as the Legionnaires spent the majority of the second period in the penalty box. "Guys are not thinking right now and were going to have to put an end to that."

In the first game in London, Sarnia racked up 30 minutes in penalties, and allowed London 11 powerplay opportunities in which they capitalized on three. In Thursday's game, Sarnia took 10 penalties including five in the second period. London only capitalized on one powerplay in the first period.

"Once we start playing five on five we control the play," said Rose. "Our team historically has not been disciplined and we will put an end to it."

Sarnia was down one heading into the second, but a quick goal by Andrew Sokol evened it up. London would retake the lead as Sarnia was killing off a 4 on 3 powerplay, as Tyler Bryden scored for London to put the Nationals back in front. But quickly after, Anthony Donati would cut into the slot and fire a wrist shot into the back of the net, knotting the game up at 2-2, and escaping a penalty filled period.

The Legionnaires season begins on September 8th as they head to Leamington. With a 7th place finish last season and an exit in the first round of the playoffs, the expectations are higher for Sarnia's junior B team.

"I think we have a good enough team that we will win more then we lose," said Rose. "I know we are solid on the back end, I know we have great goaltending, we have five of our top six scorers back,  and we got us some good young talent. The potential is there to have a good season."

Sarnia opens at home on September 15th against the LaSalle Vipers.


 

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