Kings blank Blades 3-0 in series opener
DRESDEN – It is tough when a team plays six men against seven, but that is the
way it appeared for the first period Monday night as the Blades dropped the
opening game of their Provincial Junior Hockey League Stobbs Division best-of-
seven quarter-final playoff series against Dresden Kings by a score of 3-0.
Game 2 will be in Blenheim Thursday at 7 p.m., with Game 3 back in Dresden
Friday at 7:30, and Game 4 Sunday in Blenheim at 7.
For the first 20 minutes referee Clint Campbell assessed the Blades four minor
penalties – one for holding, one for slashing and two for unsportsmanlike conduct
– while the Kings did not spend a second in the sin bin.
By the time the game was over he called nine minors on Blenheim and just four
on the Kings, who didn’t get their first one until 13:35 of the second period when
Colton Burniston went off for tripping. Three of Dresden’s four minors were off-
setting penalties that sent a Blade to the box as well.
Dresden had six powerplays to the Blades one, and scored their first and third
goals with a man advantage.
Having the extra attacker also proved a bonus for Dresden’s shot total against
Blenheim netminder Chris Duwulf who faced 23 shots in the first period, nine in
the second and 15 in the third for a total of 47.
His teammates managed just 20 on Dresden netminder Brett Brochu.
Cory Lucier scored a first-period powerplay goal at 18:47, and Greg Hay got one
at 18:43 of the third period, with Dresden’s even-strength tally coming from
Dawson Winchester at 12:35 of the middle 20 minutes.
BLADES BITS: Forwards Ryan Malott and Chase Henry, as well as defenceman
Derek Hueni, did not dress for the Blades…Malott slipped and fell on some ice on
the weekend and fractured a wrist, while Henry was sick and Hueni a healthy
scratch…Likely because it was a Monday night with an 8 p.m. start the crowd was
low for a Dresden home playoff game against Blenheim at 368…Fans should note
that admission ticket prices for the quarter-finals are up $1 in each category
meaning adults will pay $9, seniors/students $6 and children six to 12 years of age
$4.