PJHL Roundup: Firebirds drop two straight as battle for second takes a hit

New Hamburg has acquired Ezra Fischer from the Ayr Centennials of the GOHL. Fischer is the third brother to skate for the Firebirds, joining current player Jayden and former captain Owen. New Hamburg Firebirds photo

By Lee Griffi

New Hamburg dropped a pair of home games on the weekend, keeping them in third place in the Provincial Junior Hockey League’s (PJHL) Doherty Division.

The Firebirds dropped a 4-1 decision to division-leading Woodstock on Sunday, despite firing 45 shots at Navy Vets goalie Tyler Bouck. Woodstock led 1-0 after 20 minutes, but Owen Bruder’s 12th of the season on a powerplay tied it up early in the second period. The Navy Vets added shorthanded, powerplay and even-strength goals to seal the win.

The teams combined for 120 penalty minutes, including seven misconducts in the third period, all for unsportsmanlike conduct.

On Friday, a frantic third-period comeback fell short as New Hamburg dropped a 5-4 home-ice decision to Norwich. The Firebirds trailed 5-1 with only three minutes remaining in the third period. Rhett Calder and Ezra Fischer, with a pair, tallied in a span of 96 seconds but the Merchants were able to hang on and earn the two points.

Fischer was recently acquired from the Ayr Centennials of the Greater Ontario Hockey League (GOHL) and is the brother of former captain Owen and current forward Jayden. The 19-year-old forward has also played for the Listowel Cyclones, Brantford Bandits and Cambridge Redhawks.

“He’s a great kid,” said current captain Andrew Gear. “I’m good buddies with Owen, I’ve been around Ezra for quite some time now and Jayden has been here for the past couple years. It’s nice to get the third Fischer brother here to complete the trio.”

Gear explained the team was confident heading into the weekend after a 6-2 win in Tavistock, but they didn’t bring their best game into Norwich.

“They outplayed us for most of the game but we found our game in the third. That’s the next level we have to reach but it was too late. I do think coming back showed our character. The Sunday afternoon game didn’t go the way we wanted it to. The game was tight and we had our chances, but the puck just didn’t go in the net.”

Gear said he told the team on Sunday they need to play a full 60 minutes to beat anyone in the Doherty.

“At the same time, we need to just flush these moments and get ready for the next game, which is a big one in Tavistock on Friday. It’s important we gear up for that one.”

The Tavistock Braves won their only game of the weekend, but it came at a cost as defenceman Nate Brenneman suffered a broken leg just two minutes and 11 seconds into the opening period. He fell into the boards awkwardly after a shove from behind on a play that led to a five-minute major penalty for boarding against a Hespeler Shamrocks player.

“The Braves organization would like to thank our trainers, the trainer from the Hespeler Shamrocks, as well as numerous first responders in attendance, for their quick response in assisting with the medical emergency,” said a team statement on its social media channels.

“Obviously, it is a massive blow to our team and back end. Losing Nate, likely for the season, is a big blow to our club. You don't wish that on anyone, the way it happened Friday night,” said Braves general manager Brent Lange.

“The game and plays happen so fast now, and it was a scary incident that happened and could have been avoided. You just knew right away it was a serious injury. Nate is a great young man, great player, great team-first guy who is very well respected in that dressing room by his teammates, friends, coaching staff and other players in the league.”

Brenneman was operated on Saturday and Lange said he will have a tough recovery ahead of him.

“It will be a long road to even get back to a normal daily routine for him. He is a tough kid and I know he will do whatever it takes to get back to normal. Our whole team was huddled around him for the 20-30 minutes until he was taken off the ice by the EMS workers.”

Lange said his troops were clearly shaken up for the rest of the first period but regrouped and refocused.

“We came out firing in the second, scoring two quick goals and adding a couple later in the period and stayed strong for the win. It was good for the guys to be able to respond and get a win for Nate. The game did get a bit chippy after that, as guys are on edge and emotions are high from losing a friend and teammate.”

The Braves won the game by a score of 5-1 and were led by Even Palubeski’s three-point performance. Ryan McKellar added a goal and an assist while recent acquisitions Nathan Siebert and Jack Hodge picked up their first goals of the season. Tavistock outshot Hespeler 49-15 in a game that was tied 1-1 after the first period, but the Braves scored four times in the second to take control.

Wellesley split a pair of weekend matchups, starting with a 2-1 loss in Woodstock on Friday. The Navy Vets led 2-0 four minutes into the second period, but Ben Morton gave the Applejacks a chance with his 15th of the season 11 minutes later. Woodstock goalie Kobe Nadalin was solid in the game, stopping 35 of 36 shots, including all 12 he faced in the third period.

Wellesley bounced back on Sunday with a 7-2 victory in Paris. Moron and Dimitri Eleftheriadis led the offence with two goals and an assist each with Ian Speiran and Luke Schofield adding a goal and assist each.