The Pacers season ended this past weekend the same way they started - a away loss followed by a home win. In order to stay in the hunt for post seaosn play, the Pacers needed to win at least one of the two and get some help from other teams. Winning both their weekend games would have given them a better chance. Unfortunately, the loss in Niagara coupled with wins by London put a halt to any aspirations this young team had of making it to the playoffs.

On Saturday the 18th, the team made the long trek to Niagara on the Lake and was able to floor a full squad. They even opened the scoring 53 seconds into the game on a Mitch Doughty marker before Niagara reeled off three in a row in the first period. 

The Thunderhawks then opened the second period with a goal just 46 seconds in  to take a 4-1 lead. It was an omen of what was to come. Brandon Burr and Mitch Doughty got the Pacers back to within one before the period was 90 seconds old.  Niagara got two more and then Sarnia's Ben Tamming potted one for the visitors. By the time the second period was over, the home team had a 9-4 lead.

In the final stanza of this game, Niagara opened the scoring at the 13:17 mark and 43 seconds later Kevin Hussey notched the final Pacers goal of this game. Niagara finished the scoring with two more in a game that saw 14 minutes in penalties -- 10 of them taken by Sarnia.

And then it was Sunday!  By the time the boys in orange took the floor, they knew that the team was not playoff bound and that they were playing for pride - and a better record than they had had in the past few years. They also found themselves facing a very depleted lineup of Warlords  - 12 runners and one goaltender but that didn't stop the Warlords from playing a fiesty game against Sarnia's usual backup goaltender Ian Ferguson.  He picked up his first ever Jr B win this game.

It seemed the two teams were testing each other out for the first 7:21 and then Dan Charlton scored two just 18 seconds apart, the first while Sarnia was short-handed -- Hussy in the box for unnecessary roughness. Welland got one back (short handed) but Sarnia potted two more. Aaron Schieman (playing in his final Jr B game) scored at 13:17 and then Dan Charlton notched his hat trick 32 seconds later.  The Warlords made it interesting and potted two of their own before the period ended and the Pacers took a 4-2 lead into the dressing room after 20 minutes of play.

The second stanza saw the Pacers outscore the Warlords seven goals to three beginning with a TJ Mara marker just 41 seconds later.  Welland notched it up at five apiece by the 10:02 mark before Kevin Conroy restored the Pacers lead and sparked off five goal run that saw Dan Charlton pick up his fourth goal of the game follwed by two more by Kevin Conroy the second of these two assisted by his brother Kyle Conroy on the power play. In the final 2:22 of the period, Sarnia sandwiched a single Welland marker with goals by Aaron Schieman and Kevin Conroy. Much to the delight of the home town crowd, the Pacers took an 11-6 lead and they headed off the floor.

Welland tried to stage a comeback in the final 20 minutes of each team's season. They began it with two quick goals before Kevin Conroy struck again.  Two more were put up by the Warlords, getting them to within 2 goals but Kevin Conroy put up his 4th goal of the night followed by a Josh Eldredge marker 22 seconds at the 14:40 mark. Welland bulged the twine twice more, their final goal on the power play - a result of a minor Charlton took during his bout with Weisansal. It was the second of three tussles that took place with under 5 minutes to go. The final goal of the game came fittingly off the stick of a Pacer in his final game - Aaron Schieman.

Photos of the the home game can be found in our photo gallery - check them out!