The Welland Whalers’ inaugural season came to an end on Tuesday night with a 6-4 loss against the Orillia Tundras in the second game of the Allan Cup Hockey Wild Card Series.
The series was necessary because the fourth place Tundras and fifth place Whalers were separated by only three points. In the ACH, a Wild Card Series is played if five points or less separate the fourth and fifth place teams. The winner of the series moves onto the playoffs while the loser is eliminated from postseason play.
The two teams tied 1-1 in the first game of the two game, total goals series, meaning that the winner of the second game would advance to the playoffs.
Tuesday night in Orillia, the Whalers found themselves down 3-1 after the first period and 6-2 heading into the third period.
Joe Forte, Derek Long, Thomas Longland and Mike Cordi scored for the Whalers.
Joel Kitchen and Travis Fuller led the Tundras with two goals each.
Dan Earles stopped 31 of 35 shots in net for the Tundras while Rick Miller made 26 saves on 32 shots.
SCORING SUMMARY
Period 1
Orillia - Travis Fuller (Joel Kitchen, Kevin Shoebridge) 0:15
Welland - Joe Forte (Kris Lavoie, Andrew Letwin) 3:12
Orillia - Joel Kitchen (power play) (Travis Fuller, Kevin Shoebridge) 14:29
Orillia - Leiland Gauley (Will Jones) 19:55
Period 2
Welland - Derek Long (Tanner McGowan, Jeff Zatorski) 4:19
Orillia - Joel Kitchen (Kevin Shoebridge) 4:45
Orillia - Travis Fuller (Joel Kitchen) 6:24
Orillia - Will Jones (Joel Kitchen) 13:31
Period 3
Welland - Thomas Longland (Drew Minor) 4:45
Welland - Mike Cordi (Cory Spiece, Tanner McGowan) 13:17
