© 2023
Hometownplay.ca
Dolphins win twice on Teddy weekend
Head into Christmas third in the PJHL Yeck Division
December 19, 2023
By Rob J. Ross
DORCHESTER, Ont. - The Dorchester Dolphins made their fans wait over 50 minutes for something they were eager for in the opening minutes.
It took until mid third period and down 2-0 but the Dolphins finally scored allowing fans to throw stuffed animals on to the ice on Teddy Bear Toss night Friday at the Flight Exec Centre.
Seeing over 250 stuffies on the ice seemed to spark the Dolphins, certainly Dylan Dundas, who scored their first goal.
The recently acquired forward scored three more times in the final five minutes, lifting the home team to a 4-2 come back win against the Aylmer Spitfires.
The Dorchester U14 Dragons collected the stuffed animals from the ice, all 267, bound for the London Children's Hospital.
"Those poor U14 kids in uniform waiting all through the first and all through the second and half way through the third. It's not how we drew it up," Dolphins' head coach Chris Willsie said. "Give Aylmer credit. They deserved to win tonight. They out played us."
Aylmer led 2-0 on first period goals by Owen Bachert and Noah Melady, while out-shooting the Dolphins, 14-12. Dorchester held a 28-11 shot advantage for the next two periods.
"Their goalie (Logan Griffiths) played well. Our goalie played well. Connor Nelles kept us in the game until we figured our stuff out. That's what we need. Two nothing is a lot easier to come back than four or five nothing," Willsie said. "Once you get one, you get feeling a little better. The message between the second and third period was determination, not frustration. So, keep at it together, because it's human nature to start trying to do things by yourself when you're up against it.
Dundas tied the game, four minutes after the stuffies were picked up off the ice the Dorchester Dragons U13 team.
"I know one guy got all four goals, but it was definitely a team effort," said Willsie. "Jarrett Humphries made a really good play on the second goal and Dundas was in the right spot."
Josh Short picked up an assist on the winner. The fourth goal was into a empty net.
Short had two goals and two assists in a 6-3 win against the Exeter Hawks Sunday on home ice, as the Dolphins improved to 18-4-3-0. Dolphins' captain Paterson MacNair and Dylan Dundas both had a goal and two assists. David Johnston and Dylan Bradburn also scored.
The Dolphins continue to be in the hunt for first place in the Provincial Junior Hockey League Yeck Division.
It's tight at the top with the North Middlesex Stars (21-4-0-0) leading with 42 points and the surging Mt. Brydges Bulldogs (19-6-1-1) now in second spot with 40 points. The Dolphins have 39 points, three ahead of local rival Thamesford (18-6-0-0).
"There are four up there and you can't take a week off or you'll slip down," Willsie said. "We've got to figure out North Midd and we've got to figure out Thamesford."
Four of the Dolphins' seven losses have been to those two teams. Dorchester is 8-2 past 10 games, both setbacks to the Stars.
Dorchester hosts Thamesford, Friday, December 29.
MacNair continues to lead the Dolphins in scoring, with 31 points, on 11 goals and 20 assists. Short and Nicholas Shearer share a team high 16 goals.
Dundas has five goals and two assists in his three
games since arriving from the Stratford Warriors of the Greater Ontario Hockey
League. The 19-year old from Lambeth, had four goals and four assists for
Stratford.
More images on Instagram - hometownplay