Thunder edge Tavistock in shootout
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Goalie Jeff Bassindale backstopped the Tillsonburg Thunder to a pair of WOAA senior men’s hockey league wins on the weekend.
Tillsonburg picked up a 7-3 win in Monkton Friday, then gained the much-needed two points on home ice Saturday with a 6-5 shootout victory over the Tavistock Royals.
Tavistock and Tillsonburg went into Saturday’s game with identical third-place 9-4-1 records. With the win, the Thunder took over sole possession of third place behind Komoka Classics (14-1-1) and Clinton Radars (14-1-0).
Mike Gaertner, Terry Lammens and Kevin Galerno scored for Tillsonburg in a 3-1 first period.
Dwayne Blais extended the Thunder lead in the second, countered by Tavistock’s Trent Brown on a power play (the Royals’ second with the man advantage).
Tyler Townsend’s short-handed goal early in the third was matched by Tillsonburg’s Galerno, who scored on a power play to regain the two-goal lead.
But the Royals, who outshot Tillsonburg 33-25 over three periods, chipped away scoring with 4:20 left in regulation, and again with just one second remaining to force OT.
Six shooters from both teams were needed to end the shootout. Chris McGuffin for Tillsonburg and Tavistock’s Cody Hall scored in the first set of three. Pat Ouellet, Tillsonburg’s sixth, deked wide left and wristed home the winner. Bassindale stopped Tavistock’s Marcus Yantzi for the win.
Tillsonburg 6, Tavistock 5 (shootout)
Thunder scoring: 1. Ryan Gaertner (Shane Balcomb, Ryan Devos); 2. Terry Lammens (Shane Balcomb, Adam Wallace); 3. Kevin Galerno; 4. Dwayne Blais (Kevin Galerno); 5. Kevin Galerno PP (Pat Ouellet, Adam Wallace); 6. Pat Ouellet (shootout).
Tillsonburg scored two in the first and two in the second to take a 4-2 lead into the final period Friday night in Monkton.
Shane Balcomb had two goals and two assists , and Devin Homick two goals and one helper for the Thunder, who scored seven even-strength goals.
Tillsonburg 7, Monkton 3
Thunder scoring: 1. Devin Homick (Shane Balcomb, Dave Kontzie); 2. Shane Balcomb (Cody Chute, Devin Homick); 3. Nathan Peacock (Kevin Galerno, Adam Vandepoele); 4. Shane Balcomb (Curtis Maracle, Dave Kontzie); 5. Curtis Maracle (Kevin Galerno, Nathan Peacock); 6. Devin Homick (Shane Balcomb, Cody Chute); 7. Kevin Galerno (Nathan Peacock, Adam Vandepoele).
TEDDY BEAR TOSS NIGHT
Tillsonburg Thunder’s annual Teddy Bear Toss Night is Saturday, Dec. 22. Bring a stuffed toy and throw it on the ice when the Thunder score their first goal against Clinton – the ‘teddy bears’ will be collected for The Salvation Army’s Christmas campaign. Saturday’s game begins at 7:30 p.m.