Blades Miss Golden Opportunity

With a chance to move one point up on The Alvinston Flyers for the final playoff spot in the Northern Division, The Blenheim Blades took to the ice at home against a beatable and tired Mooretown Flags team. The previous night saw The Flags & Dresden Jr. Kings rough each other up but it was Mooretown who came out energized and got the early jump on the hometown Blades.

It was Brett Thompson who would score Mooretown’s first goal of the game just 3:20 into the opening period when he picked the pocket of The Blades Defence and walked in all alone snapping a low wrist shot past Brandon Cowell. Then it was Jordan Pennesi putting The Flags up 2-0 on the power play at 7:45. The Blades would battle back before the end of the first period as defenceman Jamie Aikin hammered a one timer from the blue line past Flags Goalie Seth Anderson at 10:02 and the assists going to Dan Paget and Jonathan Croley. Mooretown would reply just 1:30 later and Jordan Pennesi potted his second goal of the game putting The Flags up 3-1 but as they have all season long The Blades would battle back and tie things up before the first period came to a close. Brady Campbell took a pass out front of the Mooretown Net from Thomas Innes and went top shelf to pull The Blades within one at 13:43 on the power play. Rookie Alex Seguin added to his point total drawing the other assist. The first period scoring was rounded out as The Blades drew even when Thomas Innes scored at 17:49 finishing off a pass from Jonathan Croley.

The second period would prove to be The Blades best of the game scoring three times and only giving up one and going to the third period with a 6-4 lead. It was again rookie Alex Seguin lighting the fire as he scored at 4:37 of the second period from Matt Speed and Owen Kent. Mooretown would reply and draw even at 11:20 when Mike Burns would slip one past Brandon Cowell with the man advantage to tie things up at 4-4, but just 1:41 later The Blades would take advantage of a power play of their own as Seguin notched his second of the game and team leading 27th of the season firing home a pass from Matt Speed and Ben Campbell. And to round out the second period Thomas Innes would score his second goal of the game, this time shorthanded, as Aaron Blonde sent him in on a partial break at 15:31 giving The Blades a two goal lead heading into the final period of play.

Just as the second period was Blenheim’s best the third period was Mooretown’s best of the game. Holding The Blades to just 10 shots in the final period, and more importantly keeping The Blades off the scoreboard, The Mooretown Flags would score three unanswered goals in the final period to steal the game back away from the hometown Blades Raymond Martin pulled Mooretown within one at 4:03 of the third and then it was Mike Burns who scored to tie things at 14:22 and then the staggering blow that game Mooretown the lead and ultimately the win came at 16:02 when Jason Teschke fired one past Cowell.

Top performers of the game for Mooretown were Jordan Pennesi with 2 goals and 3 assists, Mike Burns scoring 2 goals and 1 assist and Martin Raymond chipping in with 1 and 1. The Blades top performers included Alex Seguin and Thomas Innes who both scored 2 goals and added an assist, while Jonathan Croley had 2 assists. Seth Anderson turned aside 34 of 40 shots by The Blades to pick up the win for Mooretown and Brandon Cowell stopped 28 of 35 shots taking the loss.

The Blades remain one point back of Alvinston in the race for the playoffs. The Flyers have four games remaining while The Blades have just two games to go in the regular season. Alvinston will travel to Wheatley to do battle with The Sharks Monday night and then play at home Friday hosting The Essex 73’s. Blenheim won’t take to the ice again until Sunday January 31st when they host The Wallaceburg Lakers (Game Time 7:15 PM) and then The Blades will finish their regular season on the road the following Friday, February 5th, in Belle River against The Canadiens.