YARMOUTH, N.S. – The Yarmouth Jr. A Mariners picked up three of four points during two games last week, losing the first game to the Valley Wildcats in a shootout and winning the second game against the Pictou Crushers in overtime.
The Mariners’ defenceman Derrick Johnson was selected first star of the Sept. 22 game versus Pictou after scoring an unassisted goal with just over five minutes left in the game to tie the score 2-2 and then scoring a powerplay goal (his third goal of the season), assisted by Noah McMullin and Matt Barron at 2:28 in overtime. The Mariners had the power play advantage following a tripping call against Pictou.
The Mariners had started out OT shorthanded due to a late third-period holding the opponent’s stick call against the Yarmouth squad.
Yarmouth had been first to score in the game at 5:01 off the stick of Logan Timmons, also scoring his third goal of the season, and assisted by Brady Crossley and Shawn Guison. The Crushers tied the game later in the period with a goal by Jaden Mason. There was no scoring by either team in the second period. Pictou went ahead 2-1 midway through the third frame on a PP goal by Evan MacLennan.
The game was a low-penalty affair with just nine penalties called during the game (four against Yarmouth and five against Pictou.)
In net for Yarmouth Tyler Caseley stopped 26 of 28 shots. Pictou’s goaltender Sean Julien made 31 saves on 34 shots.
The previous night on the road the Mariners had a 4-3 shootout loss to Valley. The Wildcats had a 2-0 lead after the first with Derrick Johnson (Brent Broaders, Matt Barron) cutting that lead in half with a short-handed goal in the second. Valley wasted little time in the third period increasing their lead to 3-1 just 34 seconds into the frame. The Mariners Brett Crossley (Derrick Johnson) scored at 9:24 with Matt Barron (Andrew Martell, Brent Broaders) tying the game at 12:29. In the shootout Yarmouth’s Andrew Martell scored for Yarmouth with Matt Warner and Zach Falck (Valley’s fourth shooter) scoring for the Wildcats.
Alec MacVicar was in net for the Mariners, facing 27 Valley shots. Liam MacDonald was in net for Valley and faced 54 Mariners shots.
The Mariners sit in first place in the Eastlink South division with seven points, which is two points ahead of the South Shore Lumberjacks. These two teams meet Thursday night in Bridgewater for the first of three Mariners’ game this week. Yarmouth then hosts Valley on Sept. 28 and Truro on Sept. 29.
