Niagara Falls vs. Welland (12/22)

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Niagara Falls Thunder vs. Welland L.J. Walters Insurance Tigers (Minor Bantam AAA)

The Welland L.J. Walters Insurance Tigers ended 2007 on a high note, winning their final regular-season game of 2007 by a score of 5-2 over the visiting Niagara Falls Thunder.  #9 Brett Larocque paced the home side with a short-handed goal and two assists, while #6 Travis Sheldrake chipped in two goals, #7 Kevin Rotter tallied two assists and #17 Morgan Lavoie fired off a goal and an assist in the other multi-point performances for the home side.  #8 Bryce Brochu scored the Tigers’ other goal while #19 Cole McKnight also contributed an assist in the victory, which improves the team’s record to 7-8-6.  #1 Korey Bedard stopped 14-of-16 shots with his counterpart #33 Nathan Buccella blocking 22 of the 27 shots fired his way.  Each team was assessed only a single penalty during the game, with neither team capitalizing with the man-advantage.

Brochu would lead off the Tigers’ offense, scoring at 7:07 of the first period on passes from Nadeau and Larocque for a 1-0 advantage.  Larocque’s short-handed marker at 11:59 of the middle frame put the Tigers up by two goals which lasted until #3 Matthew Webb replied for the Thunder, from #9 Vito Scaringi and #88 Sammy Quaranta at 2:33 of the second period. Scaringi then tied the game at two, from #12 Nicholas Conlon and Webb, at 0:21 of the third period before the Tigers reeled off three unanswered goals in the final period to pull out the win. Kevin Rotter set up Travis Sheldrake at 3:20, with Lavoie also picking up an assist on the play, and then Rotter set up Sheldrake again at 6:07 to add an some breathing room.  Lavoie added another for extra measure at 8:00 from McKnight and Larocque to close out the scoring at 5-2.

The Tigers do not return to regular-season play until January 12, as they are competing in the 30th Annual Vic Teal Memorial Tournament in St. Catharines during the Christmas break and then travelling to Barrie to battle in the Barrie Minor Hockey Association AAA Invitational before school resumeson the 7th.  On the twelfth they will face-off against the Burlington Eagles in their last home contest prior to six consecutive road matches.

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Filed under 2007-08 L.J. Walters Insurance Minor Bantam AAA Tigers, Sports Writing/Commentary

Tags: 2007-08 L.J. Walters Insurance Minor Bantam AAA Tigers, Niagara Falls Thunder, Sports Writing/Commentary