Jr. Sabres Host Jr. Canadiens

The Buffalo Jr. Sabres look to inch closer to first place in the OJHL tonight as they host the Toronto Jr. A Canadiens in a 7:30 p.m. matchup.

Tonight’s game is the fifth and final matchup of the season between the teams, and just the second meeting in Buffalo. Each team has been perfect on the road in the season series to date.

The Jr. Sabres took the first game, a 3-0 win on September 9. Buffalo goals came from Alex Dagnal, Pat Egan and Max Mikowski, while goaltender Parker Gahagen earned a 30-save shutout and teams combined for 70 penalty minutes.

Buffalo would win the next meeting twenty days later, a 7-2 win also in Toronto. Ryan Schmelzer led the team with a hat trick, while Derek Patterson, Mark Powell, Pat Egan and Alex Dagnal also added goals for Buffalo. Adam Logozzo and Dalton Hnatko scored for Toronto.

The teams next met just under a month later in a game that once again resulted in a Jr. Sabres victory. Max Mikowski scored a pair of goals, with Jason Heerdt and Ryall Ledyard each adding a tally, as Buffalo came out on top 4-1. Andrew Mullen scored the lone goal for Toronto.

After three wins for the Jr. Sabres, the Jr. A Canadiens would take the next game, the lone meeting in Buffalo to date. Toronto goals came from Michael Cuddemi, Joseph Santino, Anthony Repaci, Nicholas Jarzabek and Danny Lisco, while netminder Denny Dubblestyne stopped 22 saves for the win.

Buffalo goals came from Pat Egan, Nolan Sheeran and Darrin Trebes.

The Jr. Sabres have not played in just over a week; although the schedule originally had them visiting St. Michael’s on February 8, that game was postponed due to the winter storm. Buffalo’s last game was a 3-2 loss to Georgetown on February 4.

On the other hand, the Jr. Canadiens are coming off a pair of wins and looking to extend their winning streak to three games. Toronto defeated Georgetown 5-2 on February 9 before topping Milton 5-4 in a shootout the following day.

Tyler Gjurich leads Buffalo with 45 goals and 41 assists for 86 points in 47 games played; his point total includes 26 points on the power play. Ryan Schmelzer has 61 points (24-37) this season, while Pat Egan has 48 points on the year.

Parker Gahagen has been Buffalo’s main goaltender this season, playing over 2300 minutes and winning 25 games. He has a 2.60 GAA and .921 save percentage. Bobby Bloomfield, who has appeared in 11 games, has a 3.61 GAA and .889 save percentage.

Leading the way for Toronto is Anthony Repaci, who has 24 goals and 30 assists for 54 points in 49 games played – including 20 points on the power play.

Denny Dubblestyne has played 35 games for the Jr. A Canadiens this season; he has a 2.87 GAA and .910 save percentage, and has allowed 91 goals against on 1,010 shots faced. Nathan Colitto, who has appeared in 23 games, has a 3.39 GAA and .891 save percentage.

Buffalo sits at second in the West Division and third in the OJHL; the team has clinched a playoff spot, winning 30 of 49 games played this season. They are 14-3-3-5 at home, have 223 goals-for and just 146 goals against.

Toronto is fifth in the South Division, winning 19 of 50 games. They have 165 goals-for, 162 goals-against and are 9-5-4-6 on the road.

After tonight’s game, the Jr. Sabres visit Oakville on February 16, while the Jr. A Canadiens visit Toronto Lakeshore on February 14.