Flags start 40th season with home opener loss
andrew brethauer September 17th, 2011

Mooretown, ON – The Mooretown Flags started their 40th season Saturday night, welcoming the Belle River Canadiens to town. Unfortunately the Canadiens spoiled the home opener, defeating the Flags 5-3.

 Things got off to a quick start for the Flags, as Caden Fleming scored the first goal of the season for Mooretown, spinning around at the faceoff dot and letting a slap shot go that beat Belle River goalie Trevor Besse glove side.

But the lead was short lived, as 16 seconds later, Dylan Impens picks up a failed poke check attempt by Andrew Gartner, and puts the puck into the open net to tie the game at 1-1 after the first period.

In the second, Jeff Schroeter had two chances on the powerplay to give the Flags the lead, but both times his shots went inches wide of the net. It would prove costly, as Belle River would respond on the powerplay, as Scott Chauvin would send a slap shot on net from a bad angle along the boards that would squeak through the under arm of Gartner and in, giving the Canadiens a 2-1 lead.

Just under two minutes later, Chris DiNatale would get two shots on net, collecting his own rebound and putting it away, as the Flags fail to clear the zone and allow the Canadiens to take a 3-1 lead midway through the second.

Schroeter would finally tally a goal in the period after being denied earlier to cut the lead down to one heading into the third period.

In the third, Mooretown had multiple chances early on to tie the game, but it would have to wait till seven minutes remaining in the period when Cody Schmidt picked up a rebound off the post from a Mike Burns slap shot, and put it above a sprawling netminder to tie the game at 3-3.

With the game looking like it would head into overtime, Belle River would spoil the night for the Flags, as Blake Jones capitalized on the Flags again having issues clearing the puck from their zone, as Jones would pick up his own rebound and put it passed Gartner for a 4-3 lead.

With an empty net, the Flags could not enter the zone and sustain a forecheck and eventually Mike Ditty would put the game away with an empty net goal, as the Canadiens hand Mooretown an the first loss of the season, 5-3.

Gartner made 39 saves in the loss for the Flags.

"Our kids played really well, they deserved a better fate then what they got tonight," said Bruce Aberhart. "I thought we outplayed them in the third period, we just wouldn't get that fourth one in."

Mooretown went 1 for 4 on the powerplay, something Aberhart thinks the team still needs to work on. They also killed of 2 of the 3 penalties in the game.

For Mooretown it is their first loss of the season and first game, while Belle River is currently 3-0 with wins over Essex and Alvinston. Despite the loss, Aberhart was pleased with the performance of the team tonight despite not playing as many games together as the Canadiens have.

"I'm real happy we were able to compete with Belle River tonight," he said. "We got some work to do. We got to get partners playing together. It's going to take a wee bit of time."

Mooretown is right back at it on Monday night as the Flags travel to Wheatley to take on the Sharks.

Before the game, former Mooretown Flag Dave Schieman dropped the puck at the ceremonial faceoff. Schieman, whose nephew Aaron plays for the current Flags, was a member of the 1971-72 Mooretown Flags 40 years ago.

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