2024-03-13

Lumberjacks pull to within one in first round of playoff series

BRIDGEWATER - The Jr. B Lumberjacks won two straight going into Monday's game six of the NSJHL Fred Fox division semifinals in Lantz and the Penguins had the series lead, three games to two.

After being down 3-0 in their first round series against the Penguins the Lumberjacks had the Penguins on their heels in games four and five this past weekend. Game 7, if necessary, is scheduled for Bridgewater at 7:30 p.m.

"I thought game one we struggled. We were a little bit surprised by the way they came out. Games two and three I thought we elevated our game, but we had trouble scoring. We made the adjustments we needed to make and I thought in the last two games we brought it all and it was pretty evident in the score and offensively what we were able to bring," said Head Coach Ryan Falkenham, in an interview March 11.

He said a big factor was the fact that there were several guys missing the first two and three games due to school exams and injuries. He noted that there were at least four regular forwards that were missing from those first games including Daniel Leblanc and Brennan Coleman who bring physicality to the team.

In their latest tilt, the Lumberjacks earned a 3-1 victory in front of a large hometown crowd in Bridgwater March 9.

The teams played a scoreless first period, before the Lumberjacks struck for a pair in the second from Alec Howie and Camden Pellerine. The Penguins cut that lead in half before the end of the period.

In the third, Joe Osborne added an insurance marker and goaltender Keegan Greencorn stopped 34 of 35 shots in net to secure the victory.

In game four, Howie recorded a hat-trick to lead the team to a 6-3 victory in Lantz March 8.

The Lumberjacks broke the game wide open with four unanswered goals in the second period to take a 5-1 lead after 40 minutes. Nolan Greenlaw, Owen Cleary, Liam Sylvester and Howie's second of the game was the scoring in the second.

Things turned somewhat testy after Sylvester's goal with 4:05 to play in the middle period, as a result, 62 of the game's 90 minutes in penalties were assessed with Sylvester garnering 25 of the 62. In total, one minor, two major, two misconduct and three game misconduct penalties were called at this period of the game.

Greencorn stopped 33 of 36 shots for the Lumberjacks.

In game three of the series, the Penguins scored two in the first and one early in the third, to take a 3-0 lead en route to a 4-1 win.

To rub even more salt in the wounds, East Hants goaltender Marcus Pettipas scored the fourth Pens goal with 2:09 left in regulation. Pettipas stopped 30 of 31 shots while Keegan Greencorn turned away 32 of the 35 shots he faced with Pettipas' goal being scored into an empty net.

Brennan Coleman, returning from an upper body injury scored to bring the Lumberjacks back to within a two goals before Pettipas' killer into an empty net with 2:08 left in regulation to make the final 4-1.

To continue the win streak, Falkenham said prior to game six Monday that the team has to get off to a quick start.

"Looking at games two and three, we didn't get off to the best start, but I think that is key to our team," he said. "We are also a fast team that is in your face; hunting pucks, being on guys quick and not giving them time and space. This needs to continue like it did the last couple of games."

In the other division semifinals, the Capstone Colts, regular season division champions, on their best-of-seven series, four games to one.

Award winners...

Two Lumberjack rookie sensations were rewarded for their efforts this season by being named league award winners.

Bridgewater's Cohen Westlake, just out of high school won the 2023-24 NSJHL rookie of the year award, tallying 17 goals and recording 24 assists during the regular season, just three points back of the league scoring champion, Nate Supryka of the Pictou County Scotians.

Brennan Coleman, also of Bridgewater, captured the league's Most Gentlemanly Player award. Despite being sidelined for several games late in the season, he still capped in with 14 goals and 19 assists, with no penalty minutes on the record.