Guelph Regals pull away from undermanned Rebels
GUELPH – The Guelph Regals fired home five unanswered goals in the third period as they dropped the Six Nations Rebels 10-4 in Ontario Junior B Lacrosse League play Sunday at the Victoria Road arena.
The third-period tallies were three power-play goals by Owen Orpana and a pair of goals by Dylan Davey, one while the Regals were playing shorthanded.
Guelph Regals 10 Six Nations Rebels 4
The Regals led 2-1 at the end of the first period and 5-4 after the second and they never trailed in the game.
The Rebels were short-staffed as they had 14 players suited up for the match.
Orpana led the Regals with five goals, all scored at the same end of the court. Davey had a hat trick while the other goals were scored by Dylan Goddard and Nick Nigro. Ethan Keleher, Nigro and Marcus Keleher each had two assists while Aiden Marroni, Marcus Visentin, Riley McLellan and Matthew Darroch had one apiece.
Nigro was playing his first game with the Regals since being acquired from the Newmarket Saints earlier in the day. He had 12 goals and 17 assists in 15 games with winless Newmarket (0-17-0).
The Regals outshot Six Nations 59-44 and went 3-for-8 on their power play and they held the Rebels scoreless on three power plays.
Dante Mancini had 44 saves to get the win in the Guelph net while Cal Hill had 49 saves for Six Nations.
Monday, the Regals traded goalkeeper Cole Martin to the Halton Hills Bulldogs (9-8-0). Martin played one game with the Regals in 2017 and nine in 2018, but hadn’t played with the team since then. He had also played nine games in the junior A league with the Kitchener-Waterloo Braves in 2018, 17 in 2019 and four in both 2021 and this season.
The Regals should finish fifth in the Western Conference standings although they can be passed by Six Nations. Guelph is fifth at 11-7-0 while Six Nations is sixth at 9-7-1.
However, the Regals are to play the bottom two teams in the division to complete their regular season later this week.
Although they have just those two games to go in their regular season, the Regals do not know who their opponents will be for the opening round. It can be any one of the four teams above them in the standings – the Elora Mohawks who lead the conference at 15-2-0 or the St. Catharines Athletics, Hamilton Bengals and Windsor Clippers who are tied for second with identical 14-4-0 records.
Owen Sound North Stars are seventh at 6-10-1. Top seven have clinched playoff berths.
Fighting for the final playoff berth in the conference are the Wallaceburg Red Devils (6-11-0) and Point Edward Pacers (4-14-0). A win by Wallaceburg or loss by Point Edward gives the Red Devils a playoff berth.
Out of the running are the Welland Generals (2-15-0) and London Blue Devils (0-17-0). Welland’s two wins were over London.
The Regals are to host London Wednesday at 8 p.m. and play the Generals at Welland Sunday at 7 p.m.
- Guelph Sports Journal
Guelph Regals pull away from undermanned Rebels
GUELPH – The Guelph Regals fired home five unanswered goals in the third period as they dropped the Six Nations Rebels 10-4 in Ontario Junior B Lacrosse League play Sunday at the Victoria Road arena.
The third-period tallies were three power-play goals by Owen Orpana and a pair of goals by Dylan Davey, one while the Regals were playing shorthanded.
Guelph Regals 10
Six Nations Rebels 4
The Regals led 2-1 at the end of the first period and 5-4 after the second and they never trailed in the game.
The Rebels were short-staffed as they had 14 players suited up for the match.
Orpana led the Regals with five goals, all scored at the same end of the court. Davey had a hat trick while the other goals were scored by Dylan Goddard and Nick Nigro. Ethan Keleher, Nigro and Marcus Keleher each had two assists while Aiden Marroni, Marcus Visentin, Riley McLellan and Matthew Darroch had one apiece.
Nigro was playing his first game with the Regals since being acquired from the Newmarket Saints earlier in the day. He had 12 goals and 17 assists in 15 games with winless Newmarket (0-17-0).
The Regals outshot Six Nations 59-44 and went 3-for-8 on their power play and they held the Rebels scoreless on three power plays.
Dante Mancini had 44 saves to get the win in the Guelph net while Cal Hill had 49 saves for Six Nations.
Monday, the Regals traded goalkeeper Cole Martin to the Halton Hills Bulldogs (9-8-0). Martin played one game with the Regals in 2017 and nine in 2018, but hadn’t played with the team since then. He had also played nine games in the junior A league with the Kitchener-Waterloo Braves in 2018, 17 in 2019 and four in both 2021 and this season.
The Regals should finish fifth in the Western Conference standings although they can be passed by Six Nations. Guelph is fifth at 11-7-0 while Six Nations is sixth at 9-7-1.
However, the Regals are to play the bottom two teams in the division to complete their regular season later this week.
Although they have just those two games to go in their regular season, the Regals do not know who their opponents will be for the opening round. It can be any one of the four teams above them in the standings – the Elora Mohawks who lead the conference at 15-2-0 or the St. Catharines Athletics, Hamilton Bengals and Windsor Clippers who are tied for second with identical 14-4-0 records.
Owen Sound North Stars are seventh at 6-10-1. Top seven have clinched playoff berths.
Fighting for the final playoff berth in the conference are the Wallaceburg Red Devils (6-11-0) and Point Edward Pacers (4-14-0). A win by Wallaceburg or loss by Point Edward gives the Red Devils a playoff berth.
Out of the running are the Welland Generals (2-15-0) and London Blue Devils (0-17-0). Welland’s two wins were over London.
The Regals are to host London Wednesday at 8 p.m. and play the Generals at Welland Sunday at 7 p.m.
- Guelph Sports Journal