SIX NATIONS — The Jr. A Arrows opened their first round playoff series against the Toronto Beaches at the ILA, Sunday evening with a 15-6 win.
Twenty-eight seconds into the game, the Beaches held a 1-0 lead but at 1:08, Cory Highfield tied it from Staats and Travis Longboat. With Tyson Bomberry serving time for slashing, Toronto’s Aaron Foster took advantage of the extra man to take the lead again at 1:52.
Staats made Toronto pay for its first penalty of game as well. Nick Ellerton was sent to the penalty box at 4:55 for slashing and at 6:47, Staats scored his first of the night on a Six Nations powerplay.
Cory Highfield followed at 8:13, and Tehoka Nanticoke added another to take a 5-2 lead but late in the frame, Toronto popped in two to end the first period with the Arrows up 5-4.
The Arrows kept the pressure on in the second as Travis Longboat, Staats, and Longboat cashed in for an 8-4 Six Nations lead with 20 minutes of play left.
Toronto folded its tent in the third period as the Arrows filled the Beaches net with goals scored by Staats, his third of the game, scored unassisted at 35 seconds. Cory Highfield scored shorthanded at 7:28, Travis Longboat scored on a powerplay at 9:48, Highfield scored his fourth of the game, unassisted at 14:50, Tehoka Nanticoke at 17:09 and Cody Ward at 17:58.
Toronto got the last goal of the game scored by Tristan Hanna at 19:08 for the 15-6 final score.
The series moves to “the big smoke” Tuesday, July 18th in a game that will miss our deadline. Game three is back at the ILA Thursday, July 20th, before returning to the Ted Reeve Arena for Game 4. If necessary, Game #5 will be back at the ILA Sunday July 23rd at 7 pm.
In other Jr. A playoff action, Brampton leads its series against the KW Braves, 1-0; Mimico is up 1-0 against the Orangeville Jr. A Northmen and Whitby leads the Burlington Chiefs 1-0.
