Shootout win in Fort Erie gives Panthers another life

Evan Gibbs scored the only goal in a four-round shootout, giving the visiting Pelham Panthers a 5-4 comefrom-behind victory over the Fort Erie Meteors and their first win in six games.

The 20-year-old defenceman from Ancaster also found the back of the net for the Panthers in regulation time during Saturday night’s Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League game, as did Drew Clark, Luca Marandola and Dawson Abrahams.

Goaltender Brayden Kelso made 43 saves in regulation and four during the shootout to get the victory as Pelham improved to 5-14-2 in the junior B league’s Golden Horseshoe Conference.

Antonino Pugliese, with two goals, Thomas Gualtieri and Riley Noble scored for the Meteors (9-10-1-1).

Fort Erie outshot Pelham 46-26. Both teams went scoreless on the power play.

Pelham was back on the ice Sunday hosting the St. Catharines Falcons (16-4-0-2). Fort Erie’s next game is Monday night at the Hamilton Kilty B’s.

Other Sunday Golden Horseshoe action had the Welland Jr. Canadians (6-14-1) home to the Hamilton Kilty B’s (20-2).

Corvairs 4, Jr. Canadians 0

At Caledonia, James Norton’s Golden Horseshoe debut was a successful one, backstopping the hosts to a shutout victory over Welland.

Norton, who started the season in the Midwestern Conference with the Caledon Bombers, stopped 28 shots as Caledonia improved to 128-2-1.

Mitchell Ferras, with two goals, Terry Bridgland, on the power play, and Jacob Macdonald, short-handed, scored for the Corvairs, who outshot their visitors 33-28.

Caledonia went 1-for-4 on the power play while Welland was 0for-7.

Monday night’s schedule has the Corvairs at the Thorold Blackhawks (6-14-1).

In hockey action Friday night, St. Catharines doubled visiting Fort Erie, 2-1, and the Niagara Falls Canucks defeated Caledonia, 8-5, also at home.

Kyle Glenney and Nicholas Rubino, in his first game since being acquired from Thorold, scored for the Falcons. Noah Cuizon replied for the Meteors.

Jake Mainstay, with two, Ben Felicetti, Owen Goodbrand, Adrian Misaljevic, Robbie Nelson Jr., Matthew Riva and Michael Santini scored for Niagara Falls (14-8-3).

Accounting for the Caledonia offence were Macdonald, with a pair of goals, Markus Dempewolf, Mason Mantzavrakos and Ferras.