Fort William Canadiens U18 'AA'

After losing the lead three times and despite falling behind early in the third period, the Fort William Canadiens battled back to defeat the Volunteer Pool Bearcats 5-4.

Ewan Reid opened the game’s scoring with a wrist shot from the blueline that eluded the Bearcats’ netminder. The Bearcats’ Ethan Buckell evened the score at 1-1 prior to the end of the first period.

Early in the second period, Nathan Caputo converted on an odd-man rush with Luca Jedruch. Less than two minutes later, William Seaberg evened the score at 2-2 for the Bearcats.

Joseph Joubert took a stretch pass from Jedruch and finished for his second of the season just 66 seconds after Seaberg’s goal. Maccus Kuokkanen buried a rebound to end the scoring in the second period and giving the Bearcats their third goal of the game.

Early in the third period, the Bearcats grabbed a 4-3 lead when Kaelen Edwards fired home a goal. Kieran Lemmetty rushed the puck down the right wing and snapped home his first of the season to even the game at 4-4 with just 3:39 left. 35 seconds later, Neelix Otway’s pass found Caputo, who raced down the left side of the ice and netted his second of the game and second of the season.

Nicolas Pavletic picked up the win in net for the Canadiens.

Notes: The Canadiens did not have a powerplay opportunity while the Bearcats were 0-1 on the powerplay; Deacon Panacheese and Tallon Thornsteinson were out of the Canadiens lineup; Jedruch dished out two assists in the game, joining Caputo with the multipoint game; In the late game, the West End Bruins defeated the Current River Comets; The Canadiens and Bruins meet for the first time this upcoming Monday.

Boxscore:

Game #4: Regular Seaon
Wednesday October 11/23 – Delaney Arena

Fort William Canadiens 5 Volunteer Pool Bearcats 4

Score By Period
Team  1  2  3  T 
Fort William Canadiens 1 2 2 5
Volunteer Pool Bearcats 1 2 1 4

Summary
First Period
1. FWC Reid 1st (Bragnalo) 9:22
2. VP Buckell (Main) 11:41
Penalties: FWC Joubert (Tripping) 0:57

Second Period
3. FWC Caputo 1st (Jedruch) 1:30
4. VP Seaberg 3:27
5. FWC Joubert 2nd (Jedruch) 4:33
6. VP Kuokkanen (Buckell, Seaberg) 6:24
Penalties: None

Third Period
7. VP Edwards (Hayes) 5:52
8. FWC Lemmetty 1st (Rzeszut) 11:21
9. FWC Caputo 2nd (Otway) 11:56
Penalties: None

Goaltenders  MP GA  Dec 
FWC Nicolas Pavletic 45 4 Win
VP Hudson Van Dyk 45 5 Loss

Power plays: (goals-chances) Canadiens 0-0; Bearcats 0-1

In the first battle of Fort William of the 2023-2024 season, the Hurricanes slipped past the Canadiens 2-1.

After a scoreless first period, the Hurricanes’ Anthony Sgambelluri netted the opening goal after the Hurricanes’ odd-man rush was thwarted but they were able to recover the puck and score at the midway through the second frame.

Just under four minutes later, the Canadiens responded while on the man advantage, with a couple passes through the neutral zone creating a two on one break, with Neelix Otway sliding it over to Luca Jedruch, with Jedruch backhanding home his first of the season.

Early in the third period the Hurricanes took the lead for good, with Nolen Sloan tipping home a puck in the slot.

Notes: The Canadiens finished the game 1-1 on the powerplay while the Hurricanes were 0-2; The Canadiens lost Tallon Thornsteinson late in the second period; 1:22 remained on the game clock when the game was buzzed by the 10:30 p.m. curfew; In the early game, the Current River Comets defeated the Volunteer Pool Bearcats 3-2; The Canadiens next game is in one week versus the Bearcats.

Boxscore:

Game #3: Regular Seaon
Wednesday October 4/23 – Delaney Arena

Fort William Canadiens 1 Fort William Hurricanes 2

Score By Period
Team  1  2  3  T 
Fort William Canadiens 0 1 0 1
Fort William Hurricanes 0 1 1 2

Summary
First Period
No scoring
Penalties: FWC Bragnalo (Slashing) 2:40

Second Period
1. FWH Sgambelluri (Dupuis, Graver) 6:43
2. FWC Jedruch 1st (Otway, Bragnalo) 10:41 PP
Penalties: FWH Erickson (Charging) 9:06

Third Period
3. FWH Sloan (Zurevinski) 2:44
Penalties: FWC Gunn (Interference) 6:24

Goaltenders  MP GA  Dec 
FWC Connor Menard 44 2 Loss
FWC Empty net 1 0 -
FWH Logan Briggs 45 1 Win

Power plays: (goals-chances) Canadiens 1-1; Hurricanes 0-2

For the second time in seven days the Fort William Canadiens and Current River Comets were opponents, with the Canadiens winning the regular season opener on Monday evening 3-2.

The Comets opened the scoring before the game was five minutes old, with former Canadien Bradley Kaemingh firing home the first of the game after walking out from the corner.

The Canadiens responded almost immediately after the first period intermission, with Owen Bodnar setting up a one-timer on an odd-man rush just 18 seconds into the period. It was Renn’s first with the Canadiens.

Kaemingh regained the lead for the Comets midway through the second period, converting on a two on one rush.

The Canadiens earned a powerplay in the second half of the final period, and Joseph Joubert netted his first of the season from the side of the net to tie the game at 2-2.

As the game appeared to be headed to end in a draw, the Canadiens forced a turnover at the Comets’ blueline, with Ewan Reid moving the puck to Neelix Otway in the slot, and Otway backhanding a pass to Tallon Thornsteinson to give the Canadiens a 3-2 lead with 86 seconds left on the clock.

Nicolas Pavletic picked up the win in net, his first of the season.

Notes: The Canadiens were 1-2 on the powerplay while the Comets were 0-2; Deacon Panacheese and Kieran Lemmetty were out of the Canadiens lineup on Monday evening; Reid finished the night with two assists; Just four Thunder Bay Minor Hockey Association games are being played in the opening week, with two U18AA games on Monday followed by two more U18AA games on Wednesday; In the early game on Monday, the Fort William Hurricanes defeated the West End Bruins 3-2. The Canadiens and Hurricanes will square off on Wednesday night.

Boxscore:

Game #2: Regular Seaon
Monday October 2/23 – Delaney Arena

Fort William Canadiens 3 Current River Comets 2

Score By Period
Team  1  2  3  T 
Fort William Canadiens 0 1 2 3
Current River Comets 1 1 0 2

Summary
First Period
1. CR Kaemingh (Holowanky) 4:25
Penalties: FWC Bodnar (Crosschecking) 11:49

Second Period
2. FWC Renn 1st (Arthur, Bodnar) 0:18
3. CR Kaemingh (Holowanky, Pollock) 6:56
Penalties: FWC Gunn (Hooking) 9:32

Third Period
4. FWC Joubert 1st (Reid) 9:25 PP
5. FWC Thornsteinson 1st (Otway, Reid) 13:34
Penalties: CR MacGillivray (Hooking) 1:30; CR MacGillivray (Slashing) 9:17

Goaltenders  MP GA  Dec 
FWC Nicolas Pavletic 45 2 Win
CR Matthew Smith 45 3 Loss

Power plays: (goals-chances) Canadiens 1-2; Comets 0-2

After just three practices, the Fort William Canadiens were able to pick-up an exhibition game versus the Current River Comets on Tuesday evening, with the Comets picking up a 3-1 win.

The Comets’ Nathan Allan scored the lone goal of the first period, following up on a shot and sliding home the loose puck for the opening goal.

The Canadiens scored their lone goal of the game early in the second period, with Cole Rzeszut firing home a powerplay marker after Nathan Caputo found him wide open in the middle of the ice.

Allan would make it 2-1 Current River with just one second left on the clock in the second period, netting a breakaway goal.

Carson Height scored the lone goal of the third period, potting a rebound.

Notes: The Canadiens were 1-2 on the powerplay and killed both shorthanded situations; Owen Renn and Andrew Bragnalo were out of the Canadiens lineup; These same two teams square off to open the regular season in six days.

Boxscore:

Game #1: Exhibition
Tuesday September 26/23 – Norwest Arena

Fort William Canadiens 1 Current River Comets 3

Score By Period
Team  1  2  3  T 
Fort William Canadiens 0 1 0 1
Current River Comets 1 1 1 3

Summary
First Period
1. CR Allan (MacGillivray) 8:07
Penalties: CR MacGillivray (Crosschecking) 4:53; FWC Gunn (Highsticking) 9:30

Second Period
2. FWC Rzeszut 1st (Caputo, Gunn) 5:05 PP
3. CR Allan (Height, Vita) 14:59
Penalties: CR Kaemingh (Head contact) 4:47

Third Period
4. CR Height (Vita) 3:36
Penalties: FWC Jedruch (Head contact) 0:52

Goaltenders  MP GA  Dec 
FWC Nicolas Pavletic 23 1 -
FWC Connor Menard 22 2 Loss
CR Matt Smith 23 1 -
CR Luca Verardo 22 0 Win

Power plays: (goals-chances) Canadiens 1-2; Comets 0-2

With the Thunder Bay Minor Hockey Association U18AA draft completed on Friday evening, the 2023-2024 version of the Fort William Canadiens was selected.

This year’s squad includes six returning players, with goaltender Nicolas Pavletic returning for his third season while forwards Luca Jedruch, Joseph Joubert and Neelix Otway along with blueliners Ewan Reid and Cole Rzeszut playing for their second season with the team.

Joining the team up front are Mason Arthur (Norwest Stars U18A), Owen Bodnar (North End Flames U15AA), Andrew Bragnalo (Thunder Bay Beavers U18A), Nathan Caputo (Norwest Stars U15AA), Owen Renn (West End Bruins U18AA) and Tallon Thorsteinson (Thunder Bay Beavers U15AA).

The Canadiens also added four defenseman, with Michael Deacon Panacheese (Thunder Bay Beavers U15AA), Aiden Gregor (Volunteer Pool Bearcats U18A), Graham Gunn (North End Flames U15AA) and Kieran Lemmetty (Thunder Bay Kings U15AAA) to wear the Canadiens’ colors.

In net, Connor Menard (North End Flames U15AA) will join Pavletic.

Joining the coaching staff of John Heino, Lincoln Galbraith and Bob Savioli this season will be Zach Prenger. Prenger played three seasons with the Canadiens and recently completed his four years of junior hockey.

Former Canadiens, Jackson Andraka, Bradley Kaemingh and William Seaberg will be opponents this year, as they now join the West End Bruins, Current River Comets and Volunteer Pool Bearcats respectively. We wish them all well.