Seaforth Centenaires open two-games-to-none lead in Paxton Trophy finals

BY SHAWN LOUGHLIN

The Seaforth Centenaires have begun their quest to win the Paxton Trophy as champions of the Ontario Elite Hockey League the right way, winning the first two games of their best-of-seven series with the Ripley Wolves over the weekend.

 

The finals began in Ripley on Friday, April 10 when the locals posted a 3-0 victory in game one of the series. 

 

Jared Nash opened the game at 9:08 with a power play goal assisted by Kyle Stanbury and Mitch Casey. Camden Daigle scored again for the Centenaires at 17:34 of the second period, assisted by Reid Oliver and Coleson Fischer, before Nash scored again on the power play at 4:43 of the third, assisted by Ray Huether and Sheldon Pryce, to put the game away for the visitors.

 

The next night, Saturday, in Seaforth, was a much tighter affair, with the Centenaires winning by a score of 3-2.

 

Cody Britton opened the scoring at 8:24 for the Wolves, netting an unassisted goal for the visitors. However, with just under three minutes left in the period, Sean Chisholm equalized for Seaforth, assisted by Jordan Visneskie and Mitch Casey.

 

The teams traded goals again in the second period, with Garrett Meurs scoring at 13:24 for the Wolves, assisted by Jeff Alcombrack and Jordan Moulton, and Camden Daigle scoring for the Centenaires at 12:50, assisted by Reuben Smith and Braydon Blight.

 

In the third, it was Luke Fritz who won the game for Seaforth, scoring at 7:39, assisted by Malcolm McLeod and Jordan Visneskie.
The series now continues on Saturday, April 18 in Ripley for game three of the series, with game four scheduled for Sunday in Seaforth. The puck drops at 6:30 p.m.

 

If the series isn’t settled over the weekend, game five is scheduled for Saturday, April 25 in Ripley, followed by game six in Seaforth on Sunday, April 26 and game seven in Ripley on Tuesday, April 28.