CALEDONIA – Caledonia Pro-Fit Corvairs fans will have to get used to a lot of new names after almost all of last year’s Sutherland Champions have gone over age or moved on. It shouldn’t take long as the 2016 to 2017 edition Corvairs have been finding their stride right out of the shoot building a 4-1 early season record after this past weekend’s games.
Friday night they ran into a strong performance by Thorold goaltender Fraser Kirk having to settle for a single point at home at the Haldimand Centre Arena.
The Corvairs and the Thorold Blackhawks played to a 4-4 deadlock that two overtime periods could not break, resulting in a tie, splitting the two points between them, despite outshooting the Blackhawks 54-22.
Dylan Latty was first to score for a 1-0 Thorold lead but Maniro Moro erased that by the end of the first 20-minutes from Holden Hrysko and Austin Ulett.
Twelve seconds into the second period, Kyle West put the Corvairs ahead 2-1 from Brandon Lindberg and Christian Montachino, however, a Thorold powerplay evened the sides again at 6:23. Holden Hrysko scored at 8:28 from Marino Moro and Anton Trublin with a perfectly places long shot to end the second frame with Caledonia leading 3-2.
Brendan D’Agosino evened the score again at 7:07 of the third, but Caledonia’s Austin Ulett found twine with a long wrest shot through traffic from Guy and Christian Polillo at 10:51 to regain the narrow 4-3.
Corvairs’ Erik Nelson was called for crosschecking at 18:03 and at 18:11, the Blackhawks once again tied the game, sending it into four-on-four overtime. There were lots of chances but no pay-dirt for either team and a second five-minute three on three period didn’t find a winner either and the game was declared a 4-4 tie.
Saturday, in Ancaster, the “all new” Corvairs continued to grow as a team and rise like cream to the top, moved into a tie with the St. Catharines Avalanche, however St. Kitts hold one game in hand.
The Corvairs took a 2-1 first period lead over the Av’s with goals scored by Bailey Fletcher and Guy Polillo. Zach Bramwell scored between on an Ancaster powerplay.
Holden Hrysko and Guy Polillo accounted for the only two goals of the second giving the Corvairs a three goal lead, heading into the third with a 4-1 cushion.
Zach Lawrence scored the last Ancaster goal of the night 14:10 before pulling the goalie for an extra man. That move opened the net for Fletcher who scored his second of the game with goalie Graham Dynes watching from the bench for the 5-2 final score.
Guy Polillo leads the Corvairs in scoring with four goals and six assists in six games played so far, two on the powerplay.
This week’s games start with two at home, include a Friday night dance with the Fort Erie Meteors at the Haldimand Arena at 7:30 p.m.. They will have to contain the Meteors’ Andrew Somerville who is off to a great start with four goals and 10 assists, and Daylon Grouix with eight goals and five assist.
The Buffalo Regals visit the Haldimand Centre Arena Saturday night bringing with them a dismal 0-7 record as they seek their first win of the season against the odds on favourites to take an unprecedented four straight Sutherland Cups, but that is a long way away with lots of hockey yet to be played.
