Ontario Hockey Association

St. Marys 2 at Strathroy 1 (SO)

by David Honsberger
STRATHROY – The St. Marys Lincolns earned their seventh victory in their last eight games with a 2-1 shootout victory over the Strathroy Rockets Saturday at the West Middlesex Memorial Centre in Strathroy.

Saturday night's game was a defensive gem with both clubs playing their soundest team defense possible. Shots and scoring opportunities were at a bare minimum. The game resembled a football game where a faceoff was a first down and yardage by both teams was hard to come by. Accolades must be paid to the defensive crews of both clubs.

There was no scoring after one period with the Lincolns holding a 1-0 lead on a goal by Dan Ryan at 13:45 of the second period before Rocket scoring leader Kraig Wright tied the match at 5:56 of the third period.

The Rockets completely shutdown the Lincolns in the opening twenty minutes allowing them just a single shot on goal. First period shots were 8-1 Strathroy. Kyle Brodhagen stood tall in the Lincoln goal while Blair Bennett received his second straight start with Ben Thomas still nursing a sore back. With eight minor penalties called in the first period, four to the Lincolns and three to the Rockets it is a credit to both clubs that the shot total remained so low.

St. Marys had an excellent opportunity to open the scoring early in the second period when Dan Grant was sent off for a trip and Eric Beauchamp followed him with a slash 33 seconds later. The Rockets penalty killers were outstanding allowing no shots on goal during the 1:27 two-man advantage.

The Lincolns had plenty of opportunity to generate momentum with the Rockets heading to the penalty box five times in the period compared to only two powerplay chances for the Rockets.

As so often happens in tight hockey games when one team misses at one end the other team takes the puck up ice and scores. With just 6:50 left in a scoreless hockey game, Andrew McCombe burst in alone on Brodhagen on a clear-cut breakaway. The Lincolns netminder came up with a big stop and a forced a faceoff in the St. Marys’ zone.

Quickly off the ensuing faceoff exciting rookie centreman Dan Chadwick rifled a blast that resonated loudly off of the goal post behind Brodhagen. The Lincolns gathered up the puck and headed up ice on a rush. Ryan scored finding his own rebound after a save by Bennett.

Late in the period Brenton Kemp had to be helped to the Lincolns dressing room after blocking a shot from a Grant point shot. Kemp would return for the third period. Second period shots favoured St. Marys 8-6.

Early in the third period Rockets sniper Kyle Moore was attended to by trainer Mike Brooks after being checked into the boards by Brett Petrie. Moore would also later return.

After a second period punctuated by Lincoln powerplays, it was the Rockets who would enjoy four manpower advantages in the third period. They capitalized with Ryan off on a high sticking call. The recipient of the high stick was Eric Beauchamp who drew at least three Lincoln minor penalties in the game.

On the rush on the powerplay Beauchamp fired the puck wide of the St. Marys goal and Wright buried the rebound off of the backboards on the opposite side.

Neither team was able to find the game winning goal in the remaining 14:05 of regulation time with the Rockets assisted by the steady flow of Lincolns to the penalty box outshooting the Lincs 13-5 and 27-14 over sixty minutes.

The five-minute overtime settled nothing with the Lincolns outshooting the Rockets 2-1. Final scoring opportunities were heavily slanted in the Rockets favour 15-6. The Rockets got extremely close to turning the 460 fans into a frenzy when a shot from rookie defenseman Kent McPherson beat Brodhagen cleanly but hit the inside of the goal post and came out the other side of the net behind the Lincoln keeper.

Both Lincoln shooters -- Michael Noyes and Colin Martin -- would score in the shootout. Brodhagen turned aside both Patrick Easter and Andrew McCombe to earn the extra point for the Lincolns.

The two points were valuable for the Lincolns. They are in a desperate battle with the London Nationals for second place in the Western Ontario Hockey League standings. With just one week remaining in the regular season, the Lincolns and the Nationals have been in a dogfight for most of the season for second spot behind the front-running Tecumseh Chiefs.

The win moved the Lincolns back into second place one point ahead of the Nationals. Sunday night the Lincolns dumped the first place Tecumseh Chiefs 8-3 moving one point back ahead of St. Marys into sole possession of second place. Both teams have two games remaining. They both play the St. Thomas Stars and each other.

On Wednesday, the Nats host the Lincolns at the Western Fair before St. Thomas travel to St. Marys on Friday and hosts London on the final day of the regular season on Sunday.

The fight for second place is a heated one. If the top three teams advance to the second round of the playoffs London and St. Marys will meet in the semifinals. Home ice could be the difference in the series. St. Marys has a 19-3-1 record at home while London is 17-5-1. The Lincolns held a four-point lead over the Nats at the end of December but London had a good January and moved two points up on St. Marys heading into February.

The single point earned by the Rockets moved them three points up on the Sarnia Blast for fourth place. The fourth and fifth place teams will meet in the quarterfinals with home ice going to the fourth place club. Sarnia moved back to within a point of the Rockets with a 4-1 come-from-behind win over the Stars in St. Thomas Sunday afternoon.

Both the Rockets and the Blast have two games remaining, one against the last place Petrolia Jets and one against each other. Sarnia will play the Jets Wednesday night in Forest. The Rockets will travel to the Brock Street Barn in Sarnia on Thursday before hosting the Jets at home on Saturday.

Mathematically, the sixth place Leamington Flyers are still in the picture for fourth place. They trail the Rockets by six points and Sarnia by five with three games and a possible six points to earn.

The Rockets have now earned points in 10 of their last 11 games. Although the Rockets split the season series with the Lincolns with three wins each the Rockets took the series in points 7-6 thanks to the shootout win in their final meeting. All games were close affairs. St. Marys won by scores of 4-2, 4-2 and the 2-1 shootout. The Rockets won 3-1, 6-4 and 6-5. Two of the Rockets wins came in St. Marys. The Lincolns have lost just 3 games at home all season.

The Entertainment Tonight players of the game for the Rockets were Andrew Secco, Kraig Wright, Joey Pikul and Kent McPherson. Kyle Greenside continued his strong play in the faceoff circle. The Rocket’s top faceoff specialist won 11 of 15 draws.

The game was Joey Pikul Night at the WMMC. The Rockets and the Lincolns players lined up on their respective bluelines for the gala pregame ceremonies which were held to honour what could be the last six-year player in the history of the Western Ontario Hockey League.

With 15-year-old players no longer eligible at this level of hockey, no future players will be able to play six seasons in the WOHL unless such age guidelines are revised to once again allow 15-year olds to play Junior 'B' hockey.

Pikul (right) began as a 15-year-old rookie with the Rockets six seasons ago in 2002-03. His teammates on that 2002-03 squad included goaltender Alan Keeso, hard-nosed defenseman Curtis Brekelmans, scoring leader Adrian Turner and inspirational leader Jesse Schroeder, now a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Also making his Rockets debut that season was another 15-year-old wizkid, Patrick McNeill, whom the Saginaw Spirit selected first overall in the OHL Priority Draft following his only year with the Rockets.

Along with Pikul’s parents, grandparents and sister, the red carpet included representatives from the Ontario Hockey Association and the Rockets coaching and managerial staffs and the Rockets board of directors. Pikul was given a one-of-a-kind panoramic framed portrait of himself along with his teammates and coaching staff from the Rockets organization and a personalized professional set of pool cues from his teammates.

The OHL presented Pikul with a plaque honouring the event. Caradoc Sands Golf Course presented Joey with a year’s membership. All Rockets players were wearing nameplates with "Pikul" on their backs.

Pikul is the second most decorated player in Rocket hockey history, winning ten individual team awards. He was winner of the Community Involvement Award and the Most Improved Player Award. He is a two-time winner of the Most Underrated Player Award, a two time winner of the Most Sportsmanlike Player Award and a two time winner of the Best Defensive Forward Award. Joey also has twice won the hockey club's highest honour, the Entertainment Tonight Player of the Year Award.

All fans received a voucher for a free hot dog and pickle at the Launch Pad Canteen courtesy of Ricco Food Distributor.

Six-year players in the WOHL since 1975 (compiled by Scott Holland):
Player (teams; seasons) career GP
Jason Baclig (Leamington; 1997-2003) 229
Craig Bertrand (London/Aylmer; 1999-2005) 142
Scott Campbell (Sarnia/Petrolia/London/Tecumseh; '98-03,'04-05) 206
Ryan Chapman (Strathroy/Sarnia; 1996-02) 252
Arthur Demelo (Strathroy/Aylmer/London; 1994-2000) N/A
Tyler Ferguson (Strathroy; 2000-06) 152
*Paul Gibson (St. Thomas; 2001-07) 132
Gareth Hopes (Tecumseh, Chatham; 1995-2001) 178
Kyle Nishizaki (Chatham; 2001-07) 226
Kyle O'Neil (Chatham/Leamington/Tecumseh; 2000-06) 177
Jesse Ouimet (Strathroy/Petrolia; 1998-2004) 248
Mike Perry (Chatham/Tecumseh; 2000-06) 177
**Joey Pikul (Strathroy/London; 2002-08) 244
Joe Puhr (Tillsonburg/Aylmer; ) N/A
Jeremy Reese (Tecumseh/Chatham; 2001-07) 185
Dan Scheidel (St. Marys) N/A
Brett Shepley (Chatham) N/A
Jeff Wieringa (Chatham; 2000-06) 130
*goaltender
**active