Avalanche respond with convincing Game 2 win
Ancaster Avalanche goaltender Tanner Sheppard stopped 32 of 33 shots in Saturday's -1 win over the St. Catharines Falcons in Game 2. (Emily Jones photo)
Ken Pagan
The Ancaster Avalanche lost their top goaltender in Game 1 of their second-round series against the St. Catharines Falcons, but they emerged from Game 2 with something more – confidence.
Goaltender Tanner Sheppard, a 2016 draft pick of the OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs, stepped in for the suspended Ryan Dugas and backstopped the Avalanche to a convincing 5-1 win over the Falcons on Saturday, evening the best-of-seven GOJHL series at 1-1.
On Friday, Dugas was ejected during the 4-3 Avalanche loss in the second period of Game 1 when he was issued a misconduct for abuse of officials after a referee was hit with the puck following the third Falcons goal. Sheppard, who last saw game action on Feb. 24, came in and stopped 10 of 11 shots as Ancaster roared back with a dominant third period to nearly force overtime.
In Game 2, Sheppard stopped 32 of 33 shots as the Avalanche took control, outshooting the frustrated Falcons 40-33.
“I think all the guys have a lot of faith in Shep,” Avalanche captain Bryce Robertson said after the Game 2 win. “I’m sure some guys were a bit worried because he didn’t play in the first round, but he really stepped up when he came on in the first game, and he played amazing tonight. I think a lot of guys have confidence in him going forward.”
The visiting Falcons got on the board first when Liam Dunda shelved a rebound over Sheppard’s glove 10:58 into the game, but the Avalanche asserted control with a tight-checking, fast-paced style that limited the Falcons’ time and space.
Affiliated midget player Dawson McKinney banked home a rebound to even the score and rookie Liam Van Loon scored the eventual game-winner on a nasty individual effort in the second period, stealing the puck in the corner on a hard forecheck and tucking a backhand through the legs of St. Catharines goaltender Owen Savory.
Macklin McPhee then converted a Van Loon feed to make it 3-1 before Ben Hatanaka scored a pair of power-play goals in the third period to seal the win.
“If we play our systems, we can really take it to them,” Robertson said. “I think they have a tough time with our speed and we have to continue to stand up and be physical.
“I think our confidence level is really high. We were down 4-1 in the first game before we stepped up and outshot them (20-3) in the third period. And then tonight, we really took it to them, so we know we can take them and I don’t think there’s a doubt in anyone’s mind in our dressing room that we can beat them.”
In Game 1 on Friday, Carson Edwardson scored a pair for the Falcons, with Lucas Smilsky and Romaeo D’Intino adding singles. Matt Bridgwater, Van Loon and Adam Meijer scored for the Avalanche, who outshot the Falcons 34-25.
The series continues Tuesday, March 20 with Game 3 in St. Catharines before returning to Ancaster on Wednesday, March 21 at 7:30 p.m. at Morgan Firestone Arena.
“We have to make sure we get a good start next game,” Robertson said. “It’s always big to take it to the home team when you’re on the road and we know we have to win at least one road game to win the series. With all the young guys grinding hard early on next game, we can really take it to them.”
