PJHL Roundup: Firebirds down Navy Vets to move into third

Wellesley Applejacks fans flood the ice with teddy bears during the team’s Teddy Bear Toss game on Dec. 6. Ben Morton scored the Applejacks’ first goal to bring the bears flying onto the ice. Wellesley lost the game 5-3 to the Paris Titans. Alec Richard photo

By Lee Griffi

New Hamburg may have dropped its first game of the weekend at home, but the Firebirds roared back with a road victory over division-leading Woodstock on Saturday night to take sole possession of third place in the Doherty Division.

New Hamburg led 2-0 after the first period on goals from Jordan Jacobs and Ben Oliver. The Navy Vets cut the lead to 2-1 with a second-period marker, but Rhett Calder’s shorthanded marker early in the third frame sealed the win for the Firebirds. The win snapped Woodstock’s five-game win streak and put New Hamburg seven points out of first place with three games in hand.

“It was a big win for us,” said Firebirds captain Andrew Gear. “I learned pretty quickly in this league that going to Woodstock isn’t an easy place to win. They pretty much pack that place and they are a top team this year. It was a game we had circled on our schedule and we wanted to make a statement to the rest of the league.”

Gear added the win has given the Firebirds a sense of confidence and something they can carry into this Friday’s game when they host the Navy Vets.

New Hamburg dropped a 3-2 decision to Wellesley on Friday night in a shootout that could be described as one of the oddest games of the Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL) season. Each team sent eight shooters to centre ice, and Applejacks forward Ryan Brenton was the only player to find the back of the net, beating Firebirds goalie Deklan Jermol. Jacobs forced overtime after he scored with 16 seconds remaining in regulation time. Jayden Fischer also scored for New Hamburg while Brenton and Ian Speiran responded for Wellesley.

Gear said any time Wellesley and New Hamburg battle, it’s a special night, but he’s never seen anything like a 16-player shootout.

“There was some extra motivation there and it was also our Teddy Bear (Toss) night,” Gear said. “It was great to see the community support us, and it would have been great to get a better result and win the shootout, but it was a fun game to be a part of.

“For the younger guys, it’s a look at what playoff hockey is like. It was a tight-checking game with a lot of people in the stands. There was a lot of pressure and it meant a lot to everyone involved.”

Tavistock and New Hamburg completed a trade last week as the Braves sent Stephen Peppas to the Firebirds in exchange for Keegan Metcalf. Gear said it’s never easy to see a teammate leave the fold but he’s looking forward to his new teammate contributing.

“Metz was here for a few years and a few championships. I’ve known Stevo for a long time and played high school hockey against him. A lot of the guys in our room are familiar with him, and you could tell from his first weekend with us that he wants to be here. He brings a skillset and a personality that will be beneficial to our team.”

The Applejacks’ second game of the weekend was in Paris where they dropped a 5-3 decision to the Titans. Wellesley led 3-2 after 40 minutes but gave up three straight goals in the third. Ben Morton, Hudson Parker and Kian Harron scored in a losing effort.

Tavistock split its two games, beginning with a 5-2 loss at home to Woodstock. Jacob Reid-Brant gave the Braves a 1-0 lead just over three minutes into the first period but the Navy Vets scored the next three goals and held a 3-1 lead seven minutes into the third frame. Yann Raskin’s 17th of the season gave Tavistock hope but Woodstock would add a pair of insurance markers to seal the two points.

On Sunday, the Braves bounced back with a 5-2 win in Hespeler. Captain Marc Dionne led the way with a three-goal performance with Raskin adding a goal and an assist. Evan Palubeski and Carson Bernhardt, who played in his 100th game in a Tavistock uniform, added two helpers apiece.