Oct 30, 2019 | jdisher | 401 views
Tigers Ground High-Flying Bombers
The high-flying Glancaster Bombers flew into town on a four-game win streak but the Welland 91.7 Giant FM/Country 89 Tigers were up to the challenge, successfully grounding them in minor peewee A divisional play by a 5-1 score on Wednesday.
Tanner Cutler led the charge for the home side with a hat-trick performance, and Julian Belcastro and Colby Franchetti were also on target as Welland improved to 7-0-1 on the season.
Welland had several quality scoring chances right from the opening faceoff and Cutler's first goal just under three minutes in was the result of an excellent cross-crease feed from Colby Franchetti with Jared Duerden also assisting on the play. Moments earlier, Matteo Mete and Chace Buti nearly connected to open the scoring but were thwarted by a nearly impossible save from the Bombers netminder. Julian Belcastro, assisted by Ashlyn Armstrong and Jonah Bello, would put the Tigers up 2-0 before the first period ended.
Cutler would score near the midpoint of the game on a helper from Denton Helder to restore the Tigers two goal cushion after Cameron Walsh, from Finnegan Atkinson and Riley Jack, recorded the lone Glancaster goal at the three-and-a-half minute mark of the second.
Miller Miotto would set up Franchetti with six to go in the third and Cutler would net his third of the night unassisted with five-and-a-half left to play as the Tigers made a steady parade to the penalty box in the game's closing minutes. Welland was assessed twelve minutes of penalties in the final 3:33 of regulation time alone, and twenty minutes overall, which is very uncharacteristic of them. Thankfully the Glancaster powerplay was neutralized by some great goaltending from Riley Caron and went 0-for-7 on the night. Welland's powerplay fared better going 1-for-2.
The Tigers are now idle until Wednesday when they host the Pelham AE Panthers at 7:20pm.