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Predators win three, end regular season in third place

Mackenzie Okumura causes trouble in the Tottenham crease in only his second game this season with the Predators. (Photos by Mike Balsom) A thrilling 4-3 shootout victory in Plattsville capped a perfect 3-0 weekend for the Niagara Predators.
Mackenzie Okumura causes trouble in the Tottenham crease in only his second game this season with the Predators. (Photos by Mike Balsom)

A thrilling 4-3 shootout victory in Plattsville capped a perfect 3-0 weekend for the Niagara Predators. The three wins see them finishing the season with a 28-9-1 record and carrying some momentum into this week’s Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League playoffs that start on Wednesday against those very same Lakers.

“The referee came over after the shootout and said it was a hell of a game,” head coach, general manager and team owner Robert Turnbull tells The Local. “I wanted us to compete hard.” 

Turnbull, who stepped in behind the bench when Niagara’s original head coach resigned  in late October, gets a bit emotional talking about the game and the season. The 73-year-old says this is his final regular season game as a coach.

“I didn’t want to go out any other way,” he says. “We finish not too far (five points) from second place. This has been a very special year with a very special group of young men.”

He reflects on a lineup that was in constant flux throughout the 38-game season. A total of 32 players donned the team’s blue and yellow uniform this year, yet they played many games with as few as 15 players on the bench, as they did in Sunday’s victory. 

“What we started out with was totally different than what we ended with, with guys hurt and sick and whatever,” Turnbull says of the ever-changing line-up of Predators this season. “But good teams find a way to win.”

The weekend began with an 8-0 romp over the last place Tottenham Thunder. Reese Bisci led the way with a hat trick in Friday night’s home game. Alexander Andrews, Alexander Insulander, Pontus Madsen, Mackenzie Okumura and Alex Page all added singles, while Iain Riordan recorded the shutout. The Predators swarmed the Thunder for 60 minutes, outshooting them 75-24.

Saturday evening’s game in Tottenham wasn’t quite as one-sided, though Niagara sprinted to a quick 4-0 lead in the first period with two goals by defenceman Brenden Morin and one each from Georgy Kholmovsky and Okumura. Kholmovsky added a second goal, Bisci scored twice and Dante Massi and Andrews also contributed to the score sheet. Shots on goal again favoured Niagara at 68-22.

Heading into Sunday’s contest in Plattsville, Turnbull knew it would most likely be a first-round playoff preview, despite the very slight chance they might meet the Streetsville Flyers. The team needed to make a statement against the Lakers on the road. 

But the Preds came out flat in the first period, coughing up an early power play goal to Hunter Mabee and an unassisted marker by Noah Bright with 12 seconds left in the first period.  

“It was our third game in a row with only eight forwards,” Turnbull says. “They were bagged. And the Lakers played a good, physical game. In the dressing room after the first we went over a few things. I told them if they didn’t put forth their best effort, whether it was 90% or 80%, they would continue to physically walk all over us.”

The Preds emerged from the dressing room throwing body checks and skating harder. Insulander finally got them on the scoreboard with a slap shot from the right side for his first of two in the game. He also assisted on Kholmovsky’s marker later in the second. 

When Kyle Struth’s third period goal put the Lakers up 3-2, it looked like the game would end that way. But Turnbull pulled goaltender Morgan Penwell in favour of a sixth attacker with just under a minute remaining.  

The move paid off at 19:32 when Insulander took a pass from Massi in front of Plattsville goalie Owen Neomytka and knocked it in for the tying goal to force overtime.

Penwell came up strong in the extra frame, stopping the Lakers on a breakaway to keep the score knotted at 3-3. Heading to the shootout, only the second of the season for Niagara, Turnbull gave his squad some direction. 

“Last time we had a shootout, they all tried to deke except for Jason (Humphries), who hit the post,” he says. “I told them there was so much snow on the ice, don’t try to deke, just shoot.” 

Madsen was first up and what did he do? The defenceman approached the crease, faked to the left, swept the puck right and slipped it behind Neomytka’s outstretched left leg and into the net for a picture-perfect goal. 

Penwell stopped Bright, and then Andrews rang his shot off the Plattsville net. After Penwell iced Alex Mourani’s attempt, Humphries put his wrist shot into the top-shelf to seal the victory. 

Heading into the best-of-three first round playoffs against the Lakers, Turnbull is hoping to have defenceman Josh Davidson back in the line-up. Nathan Fehr, who was out Sunday to attend Junior B lacrosse tryouts, will return as well. He expects strong forwards Mario Zitella and Noah Caperchione to remain unavailable, but isn’t letting that darken his optimism for Wednesday’s opening game. 

“Through us not having our full roster, it’s allowed us to improve immensely over the season,” he says. “We’re scoring goals, killing penalties, cheering each other on.”

Niagara holds a 5-1 edge in the season series against the Lakers, their sole loss coming Feb. 27 in a 4-3 shootout in Plattsville. They’ve outscored the Lakers 25-16 and outshot them 244-215 over those six games. 

For Tuesday’s practice he was planning to focus on the team continuing to do what they’ve been doing right all season. After that, he plans to say very little before the Preds take to the ice for Wednesday’s playoff game. 

“It’s strictly the little things,” says Turnbull. “Stop trying to pass through players, find the open man, do the little things right. Do the things we do best and don’t worry about it, don’t get over-excited. We’re going to have to play a physical game and impede their progress.”

With little ice time available for their playoff run, the Predators will be hosting the Lakers at Port Colborne’s Vale Health and Wellness Centre for the first round. Wednesday’s opener begins at 9 p.m. Game two is Friday night in Plattsville, while the third game, if needed, will be Sunday, March 13 at 7 p.m. in Port Colborne. Adult tickets for the home games will be $10.

Reese Bisci moves in on Thunder goalie Jacob Sanders for his first of three goals Friday night.
 Alexander Andrews scores on Tottenham’s Jacob Sanders.



Mike Balsom

About the Author: Mike Balsom

With a background in radio and television, Mike Balsom has been covering news and events across the Niagara Region for more than 35 years
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