Arrows finish first, in first

SIX NATIONS – The first OHL Jr. A team to complete its 2016 regular season schedule was the Six Nations Arrows, who also finished in first place in the standings with a season record of 18 wins, two defeats and no ties for 36 points and a perfect 10-0 in home wins.

The Arrows fended off a valiant charge by the Orangeville Northmen backed by a hometown crowd in Orangeville Friday night, but it took OT to do it as the Arrows pulled out the 15-12 win.

Although the game did not factor in on the season final standings, both teams wanted to prove to the other that they were ready for the upcoming post season. The Arrows are defending Minto Cup winners for 2014 and 2015 and aim at making it three in a row.

The Northmen showed a strong first period outscoring the Arrows 4-2 after 20 minutes. Jake McNabb and Nolan Apers accounted for the Arrows goals.

The Arrows knew they were in a fight after Orangeville’s Adam Charalambides made it 5-2 early in the second period.

But them Tahoka Nanticoke kick-started the Arrows offence with a powerplay goal from Chris Cloutier at 4:34. Brenden Bomberry, Austin Staats, and Cloutier quickly followed to turn the tide in Six Nations favour.

Orangeville has a determined team as well and fought back late in the period with three unanswered goals to end the second period with Orangeville still clinging to a two goal lead at 8-6.

The goals came often and in bunches in an exciting third period that saw 10 goals scored, and Six Nations claw back to tie the game at the en of regulation time.

Nanticoke caught Orangeville napping at 41 seconds of the third and Austin Staats netted the tying and the go-ahead 9-8 goal a little over a minute apart.

The hard working Northmen really wanted that win to close in on the Arrows for first place as the end of the regular season draws near. They regained the lead at 10-9.

Brenden Bomberry tied it again and Cloutier brought the 11-10 lead back to Six Nations. Lucus Ducharme tied it at 11-11 before Cloutier broke the tie at 14:31.

Charalambides scored his fourth of the night for the Orangemen at 16:41, unassisted to send the game into an extra 10 minute period. Recognizing the opportunity the Arrows had to put victory from the jaws of defeat, Six Nations found enough left in the tank to pull off the comeback with OT goals scored by Bomberry, his third of the game, at 30 seconds, Nolan Apers at 1:56, and Karson Tarbell into an empty net for the hard battled win.

Thursday night the Arrows had an easier time with the St.Catharines Jr. A Athletics, defeating them 15-7 at the ILA. The Arrows more than doubled the A’s in shots on goal 62-30, along the way.

The teams played to a 3-3 tie in the first period but the Arrows began picking up momentum in the second scoring the final four goals of a five goal second period before blowing the doors off the A’s in the third.

Leading the Arrows offence once again was Austin Staats with an eight pointer on four goals and four assists. Chris Cloutier added seven points to his stats with three goals and four assists. Zach Miller was good for a pair of goals and three assists, Tehoka Nanticoke scored three and assisted on one. Tyson Bomberry and Nolan Apers, and Matt Kim netted one each. Goalie Briley Miller earned the win and added three assists for his stats as well.

 

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Arrows.jpg: Maybe Arrows defender Oran Horn doesn’t get his name said a lot on the ILA PA system for his goal scoring, but he has prevented a lot of visiting players from hearing their names too. Horn has shown himself to be a solid defender who knows his role and performs it well. As well as having the best offence in the league, scoring 246 regular season goals, the Arrows also have the best defence and goaltending in the league with Doug Jamieson taking the lions share of this year’s work and with a near impenetrable defence allowing a scant 126 goals. Photo by Jim Windle

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