The East Coast Blizzard swept a pair of games from the St. John’s Maple Leafs over the weekend to clinch first place and secure home ice advantage through the playoffs in the provincial major midget hockey league.
The Blizzard trailed the Leafs by one point entering weekend play.
At The Glacier in Mount Pearl, which is somehow home ice for the St. John’s Maple Leafs, the Blizzard got third-period goals from Kieran Burke and Nathan Kelly for a 2-1 win. Regan Seymour replied.
Saturday night in Mount Pearl, Connor Shortall, Chase Wellon and Andrew Stuckless had the goals as the Blizzard defeated the Leafs 3-1. Brandon Knight had the St. John’s goal.
In the other weekend series, Western Kings nailed down third place with a series split with the Tri-Pen Osprey in Conception Bay North. Western entered weekend play leading Tri-Pen by two points.
At the Bay Arena in Bay Roberts Saturday, Tri-Pen won 3-2, but the Kings rebounded at the Danny Cleary Community Centre in Harbour Grace Sunday with an 8-5 win.
PROVINCIAL SENIOR HOCKEY
Brandon Hynes is on fire for the Gander Flyers.
The Rocky Harbour native netted three goals Sunday in a 9-0 win over the Clarenville Caribous in provincial senior hockey play at Gander’s Steele Community Centre.
It was the third straight game in which Hynes has registered a hat trick. Jordan Escott also scored three times for Gander, which saw Mike Mason get his first senior hockey goal.
At Joe Byrne Memorial Stadium Sunday, the homestanding Cataracts beat the C.B.S. Blues 7-4 in interlocking East-Central division play.
It was the second straight loss for the Blues, who dropped a 4-2 decision to Gander Saturday night.
Sunday, Danny Wicks had three goals for the Cats, and Brandon Bussey had two. C.B.S. led 2-0 after the first period and 3-0 early in the second.
Saturday in Gander, it was Hynes with three goals leading the Flyers past the Blues. In Grand Falls-Windsor Saturday night, the Cataracts beat the Caribous 3-1.
In East Division play Friday night at Twin Rinks, Jeremy Barron and Dylan Brake scored in the shootout as the St. John’s Caps got by the Northeast Eagles 4-3. Justin O’Reilly had a pair of goals for St. John’s in regulation time.
ST. JOHN’S JUNIOR HOCKEY
CBR Renegades and Southern Shore Breakers both won twice over the weekend in the Mary Brown’s St. John’s Junior Hockey League.
Sunday at the Trinity-Placentia Stadium in Whitbourne, Tyler Wall scored three goals for the Renegades in a 4-1 win over the homestanding Flyers, after beating the C.B.N. Stars 4-2 Saturday night in C.B.S. behind Stephen Predham’s goal and assist and Jordan Blackwood’s 39 saves.
The Breakers, meanwhile, won twice at the Southern Shore Arena in Mobile, beating Northeast Eagles 7-6 in overtime Saturday night following a 7-3 decision over the Avalon Capitals Friday night. A.J. Doyle, Roland Power and Blake Dalton all had two goals and an assist in that one against Avalon.
At Twin Rinks Saturday, Dylan MacKenzie had two goals and three assists as the St. John’s Caps beat up on Avalon 7-1. And at the Bay Arena in Bay Roberts Friday, Mitch Rogers made 22 saves for the shutout, James O’Brien had a goal and two assists and Grant Thompson and Michael Broders both collected two assists as the Mount Pearl Blades blanked C.B.N. Stars 5-0.
