Playoff-bound Erin Outlaws outgunned by Creemore
CREEMORE – The Erin Outlaws fell to the Creemore Coyotes by an unconverted touchdown and a field goal or a converted touchdown and a safety.
In a game that meant nothing to them in terms of the Ontario Elite Hockey League’s final standings, the Outlaws were dropped 15-6 by the Coyotes in league play Saturday at the Creemore and District Recreation Centre.
A first-year squad, the Outlaws were assured of the league’s eighth and final playoff berth Friday when the Georgian Bay Applekings were downed 13-5 by the first-place Ripley Wolves. That result, Georgian Bay’s final game of its inaugural regular season, meant the Outlaws would finish eighth, at least a point ahead of the ninth-place Applekings.
Saturday’s game, though, did mean something for Creemore as the Coyotes clinched a second-place finish with the win.
Erin led 4-3 at the end of the first period despite having been held to seven shots on net. The Coyotes found their scoring touch in the second period with eight goals to take an 11-6 lead into the final period.
Jacob Miller had two goals for the Outlaws while Kolton Maguire had a goal and two assists. Other goals were added by Lucas Schott, Luke Miehm and Liam Silva. Travis Brown had two assists while Sean Caruso, Jordan Tutt, Miehm, Silva, Liam Galton and Hayden Ireland each had one.
Kevin Boyd, Joe Falconer and Adam Logozzo each had five points for Creemore as Boyd had three goals and two assists, Falconer had two goals and three assists and Logozzo had five assists. Jacob Vander Zaag had two goals while Jordan Taylor, Anthony Novielli, Nick Sammons, Kyle Linney, Owen Heilemann, Derick Robertson, Owen King and Kris Dobinson also scored. Ben Hughes and Novielli each had three assists while Austin Fischer and Dobinson had two apiece and Heilemann, Trevor Franklin and Vander Zaag each had one.
The Coyotes outshot the Outlaws 50-33 and went 2-for-6 on their power play while Erin went 2-for-7. Creemore also had three shorthanded goals.
Jacob Tugnutt had 35 saves for Erin and Mason Kameka had 27 for Creemore.
Ripley leads the league at 16-1-3 (W-L-OTL) while Creemore in second at 14-5-1 and the Tavistock Royals are third at 13-7-0. They’re followed by the Minto 81’s at 12-6-1, Seaforth Centenaires at 12-8-0, Saugeen Shores Winterhawks at 11-8-1, Durham Thundercats at 11-7-1, the Outlaws at 6-12-1, Georgian Bay at 5-13-2, Milverton Four Wheel Drives at 5-14-1 and Lucknow Lancers at 3-15-1.
The Outlaws are to host the Minto 81’s at the Centre 2000 arena on Sunday, the final day of the league’s regular season. Durham is to play the Lancers in Lucknow in Sunday’s other game.
Both of those games are meaningful to the visiting squads as Minto can finish third with a win and Durham can finish fifth with a victory.
The Outlaws are to play Ripley in the only best-of-seven quarter-final pairing known after Saturday’s games. Dates for games in the series have not been decided, but Ripley will have home-ice advantage.
The Outlaws edged Ripley 5-4 in a shootout in their inaugural game Oct. 14 in Erin, but lost 8-5 in Ripley Dec. 10.
- Guelph Sports Journal