CALEDONIA – The Corvairs got past the Thorold Black Hawks last Wednesday night in convincing fashion with a 6-1 win to advance to the Conference Finals against the St. Catharines Falcons, beginning Tuesday night, March 25, at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena.
The Falcons have given the Corvairs fits especially late this regular season and this series should be, from a fan’s perspective, the best matchup there could be. Both teams are hard skating and not afraid to throw their bodies around.
In the Caledonia net will be Colin Furlong with a playoff goals-against-average of 1.74, in 12 games, while Knick Dawe leads the playoff goaltenders with a .78 GAA, but has played in six.
Up front, the edge has to go to the Corvairs. Cody Brown leads the playoff scoring race with 11 goals and 9 assists for 20 points in 12 playoff games. But also within the top 10 are, Kyler Nixon with 15 points, Matt Quilty also with 15 points and Connor Murphy with 14 points.
St. Catharines’ top playoff scorer in Brennan Feasebey, with 17 points but he is alone for the Falcons within the top 10.
Special teams statistics gives an advantage to St Catharines, who have a powerplay average of 34.29%, going into the series and a penalty kill percentage of 84.48%.
The Falcons have scored 12 powerplay goals in 35 advantages and have a penalty kill average of 92.11%.
Game #5 of the Corvairs versus Thorold series was played last Wednesday, March 15th at the Haldimand Centre Arena in Caledonia before a large crowd including many St Catharines fans.
It was close after one period with Cody Brown recording the only goal of the first period on a Caledonia powerplay at 15:55.
Two goals scored by Matt Qulity and Jake Brown, within a minute in the middle of the second period, put the Corvairs ahead 3-0 after 40 minutes of play.
Connor Murphy, Cosimo Fontana and Jake Brown scored in the third period while Carl Grego spoiled Furlong’s shutout bid at 13:39 of the third period.
This week’s Corvairs playoff schedule started Tuesday Mar 25, at Home at 7:30pm; Game #2, Fri. Mar, 28, at the Jack Gatecliff Rink 7:30; Game #3 Tues., April, 1, Home at 7:30; and Game #4 is back at home in Caledonia at 7:30 pm.
