Jr. Sabres Improve to 8-4

(File photo courtesy of the Buffalo Jr. Sabres)

Nineteen-year-old Max Mikowski scored in the shootout to secure a 4-3 win for the Buffalo Jr. Sabres on Tuesday, completing the team’s comeback from an original 3-1 deficit in the only OJHL game on the schedule.

The team is now 8-4 on the season.

Just forty seconds into the game, Beamsville native Sam Berg scored to give Buffalo the early lead., which would last exactly three minutes before Oakville tied it up on a goal by 18-year-old Nathan Renouf. The Blades would score once more before the end of the first, with a goal by Len Fabbri.

Renouf would add another goal – this time on the power play – in the second frame, assisted by brother Jonah Renouf and fellow teammate Stefan Leblanc.

The score would remain the same for a good portion of the third period. With the Jr. Sabres down 3-1 and just over three minutes left in regulation play, 20-year-old forward Nathan Pelligra scored to cut the lead by one.

The comeback wasn’t quite complete yet, though. Not until the Jr. Sabres pulled for the extra attacker and, with 30 seconds left, tied it on Nolan Sheeran’s third goal of the season.

When overtime proved fruitless, a shootout was necessary to determine the winner. Tyler Gjurich and Max Mikowski scored for Buffalo, while Jonah Renouf tallied for Oakville and the Jr. Sabres secured the victory.

Parker Gahagen had 29 saves in the win.