Tilbury Bluebirds drop season opener

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The Tilbury Bluebirds kicked off their Ontario Super Hockey League schedule with two weekend losses in which they failed to hold multi-goal leads.

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The Bluebirds lost to the Tillsonburg Thunder 6-5 in Saturday’s home opener at Tilbury Memorial Arena after dropping Friday’s season opener 7-3 to the Elora Rocks.

On Saturday, Ryan Crevatin scored twice as the Bluebirds built a 3-0 lead. Dylan Denomme added a goal and three assists, Nic Pavia and Sammy Banga also scored, and Ryan Polidori made 47 saves.

On Friday, Denomme had a hat trick and Polidori made 42 saves.

The Bluebirds led 2-0 early in the second period and were tied 3-3 midway through the third. The Rocks pulled away with four goals in the final nine minutes.

The Bluebirds will host the Alvinston Killer Bees Friday at 8 p.m. and visit the Thunder Saturday.

Sharks beat Blades with late goals

Vito Alfano scored twice and Ethan Handley made 30 saves Sunday in the Wheatley Omstead Sharks’ 6-3 win over the Blenheim Blades in the Provincial Junior Hockey League’s Stobbs Division.

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Braeden Armstrong snapped a 3-3 tie at 10:48 of the third period before 275 fans at Blenheim Memorial Arena. Josh Chauvin and Alfano added insurance goals.

Braydin Metcalfe and Stefan Jacobs also scored for the Sharks (5-4-0-0).

Casey Tellier scored two for the Blades (1-3-1-0), Andrew Goulet added one and Jake Vancoillie made 29 saves.

The Blades will host the Mooretown Flags Thursday at 7 p.m. and visit the Amherstburg Admirals Saturday.

The Sharks will host the Dresden Kings Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at Wheatley Area Arena and travel Saturday to Mooretown.

Two road losses drop Kings to .500

The Dresden Kings (4-4-0-0) have fallen back to .500 in the PJHL’s Stobbs Division after two road losses on the weekend.

Nolan Jack and Noah Wilson scored Saturday in a 4-2 loss to the Flags in Mooretown. Blake Verberne made 26 saves.

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Jace Dupuis scored twice for the Flags (5-2-1-0) and Caiden Smit made 27 saves.

On Friday, Connor Roth scored and Verberne made 34 saves in a 4-1 loss to the Lakeshore Canadiens (4-1-0-0), who potted four third-period goals for a comeback win.

The Kings will host the Essex 73’s Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the Ken Houston Memorial Agricultural Centre.

Goure sent down to ECHL’s Rapid City

Grande Pointe’s Deni Goure has been sent down to the Rapid City Rush, the ECHL affiliate of the Calgary Flames.

The rookie forward had been at camp with the Flames’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Calgary Wranglers.

Goure signed a two-way AHL/ECHL contract with the Wranglers this summer. He tied for sixth in OHL scoring last season with a career-high 96 points as an Owen Sound Attack overager.

Waddick nets first goal of OHL season

Chatham’s Declan Waddick scored his first goal of the OHL season Saturday in the Owen Sound Attack’s 3-2 loss to the Kitchener Rangers.

Waddick, 19, is starting his fourth OHL season. He had 13-14-27 totals in 65 games last season after setting career-highs in 2022-23 with 28 goals and 49 points.

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