Elora Mohawks hit early in opening-game victory

The Elora Mohawks struck for eight goals in the first period on their way to a 17-8 opening-game victory over the London Blue Devils in Ontario junior B lacrosse play Saturday night at the Jefferson Elora Community Centre.

The Mohawks collected seven of those goals in the first 12 minutes of the game and led 8-2 at the end of the first period and 13-5 after the second.

The hosts outshot London in each period, including 25-20 in the first period for 68-51 overall.

Brinley Wilson led the Mohawks with five goals and four assists while Keegan Detweiler had three goals and two assists, Owen Moore had two goals and two assists and Carter Coffey had two goals and an assist. Owen Tovell, JJ Lavigne, Evan McDougall, Nate Renaud and Connor Willmets each had one goal while Tovell and Trae Verbeek each had three assists. Lavigne, Evan McDougall and Cole Hunsberger had two assists apiece and Brock Redwood, Renaud and Jabe Verbeek each had one.

Brendan Campbell had two goals and two assists for London while Nolan Barker also scored twice and Tyler Clarke, Noah Candy, Nate Doxtator and Conner Zavits added single goals. Kaleb Fulkerson had two assists and Kahelot Powless and Carson Langille each had one.

Sam Forbes had 43 saves for Elora in the game.

The Blue Devils rotated between Blaine Powless and Harrison Kerr in net. Powless had 13 saves and Kerr had 38.

Elora had three power-play goals in the match while London had a shorthanded marker. The Mohawks were whistled for eight minutes in penalties and the Blue Devils took 14 with a total of 14 the game’s 22 minutes in penalties being called in the third period.

While the game was the first of the season for the Mohawks, it was the second for the Blue Devils as London defeated the Welland Generals by an identical 17-8 score Thursday at London in the league’s opening game of the regular season.

The Mohawks are to host the Cambridge Highlanders Sunday at 7 p.m.

• Guelph Sports Journal