Flyers Battle Hard, but Fall 4-2 to Wingham Ironmen

Flyers Battle Hard, but Fall 4-2 to Wingham Ironmen

Author: Colin Carmichael

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In a gritty road contest, the Goderich Flyers couldn’t quite find the breaks they needed, falling 4-2 to the Wingham Ironmen on Friday, September 27th. Despite controlling play for much of the game—especially in a dominant third period—the Flyers were undone by a couple of key mistakes and an unfortunate late-game call.

First Period: Flyers Struggle with Penalty Trouble
The Flyers started the game with plenty of energy but were hampered by penalties, spending significant time on the penalty kill. After an early holding penalty to Wingham’s Noah Bloemberg at 4:25, Goderich couldn’t take advantage of the power play. Later in the period, a double minor for kneeing against Jared Houghton put Goderich on the  penalty kill.
The Flyers held off Wingham’s power play until the 17:43 mark, when Nate Bloemberg opened the scoring for the Ironmen, assisted by Micah Kraayenbrink and Tanner Dietz. Despite the goal, Goderich was able to control much of the play but went into the first intermission down 1-0.

Second Period: Flyers Fight Back
The Flyers came out stronger in the second, and just 2:51 in, rookie Kingston Powell continued his impressive scoring pace, netting his third goal of the season to tie the game at 1-1. Powell, though just starting his PJHL career, is already scoring with the confidence of a veteran. Ryan McGee earned his first assist of the year on the play, as Powell’s goal gave the Flyers some much-needed momentum.
Wingham quickly responded, regaining the lead at 6:19 with a goal from Tate Berfelz, assisted by Dawson Dietz and Noah Wettlaufer. Things took a turn for the worse at 9:09, when a Goderich turnover led to a shorthanded goal by Micah Kraayenbrink, making it 3-1 for Wingham.
However, the Flyers showed resilience, cutting the lead to 3-2 at 12:16 when captain Carson Stutzman found the back of the net from the point with his second goal of the season. Assists came from Rowan Alexander and Kyle Smeltzer. The Flyers headed into the third period down just one goal but heads still held high.

Third Period: Flyers Dominate but Fall Short
The third period was a masterclass in puck possession by the Flyers, as Wingham could hardly generate any offensive pressure. Goderich pressed hard for the equalizer, spending much of the period in the offensive zone and controlling the play. Despite several chances, the Flyers couldn’t find the back of the net.
With time winding down, Goderich pulled goaltender Brady Galbraith to try and force overtime. However, an unfortunate wave-off of an icing under the new hybrid icing rules allowed Wingham’s Kraayenbrink to capitalize and score an empty-net goal sealing the game at 4-2 for the Ironmen.

Final Thoughts
Despite the final score, the Flyers put in a strong performance, controlling the pace of play and dominating possession, particularly in the third period. Penalties and a shorthanded goal in the second period hurt their chances, but the team showed resilience throughout the game. Rookie Kingston Powell continued to impress, scoring his third goal of the season, while captain Carson Stutzman provided a spark with his second goal of the year.

Goaltender Brady Galbraith was solid in net, and despite the loss, the Flyers can take plenty of positives from their effort. A tough break on the hybrid icing wave-off in the final minute gave Wingham the empty-netter, but Goderich will look to build on their performance moving forward.

“We gave a strong effort tonight,” said head coach Todd Norman after the game. “We just didn’t get the bounces we needed. I’m proud of the boys—we keep playing like that with that kind of effort, and we’ll find success. We’re a young team, and nights like this will make us better.”

The Flyers now turn their attention to a busy weekend, with another road game on Saturday, September 28th, against the Hanover Barons. They will then return home for a Sunday afternoon matchup on September 29th against Mount Forest.

 

Author: Colin Carmichael
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