Dolphins start new year in top spot

   Overcoming injuries, flu and suspensions, to stay in the fight for first

   Wednesday, January 10, 2018

 

By Rob J. Ross

DORCHESTER - As fireworks erupted celebrating the start of 2018, the Dorchester Dolphins could also toast to their first place standing as a new year started.

A remarkable achievement considering the Dolphins have lost over 100 man games to injuries this season, along with a number of players forced to watch from the sidelines due to suspensions.

When the calendar flipped, the Dolphins were on top of the Yeck Division, in the Provincial Junior Hockey League, with 47 points, losing only eight games, one in overtime, over 31 games.

Now 10 days in to the 2017/18 season, Lambeth has regained top spot, while the Dolphins had a ninth loss, falling 2-1 to the Exeter Hawks, on January 6.

“It has been one of those years where we can’t get healthy,” Dolphins’ head coach Tim Flynn said. “With who we’ve had in we’ve been playing well, but it will be nice to have 18 regular guys in the line-up. We’ve had so many injuries and it hasn’t got better.”

The Dolphins acquired forward Nolan Blewett from the Port Stanley Sailors, but in his first game wearing the ‘Phin against Exeter, the 20-year old suffered an injury.

Forwards Ryan Tuffin, Dylan Van Dusen, Adam Priamo, Zach Robertson and defenceman Nick Whitworth, have all missed games with injuries.

Currently the team is battling a bout with the flu going through the dressing room.

“The question is when are we going to get 18 of our regular guys in the line-up?’ Flynn said.

Several young players and midget call-ups have stepped to fill the void gaining experience, while veterans Dylan Buckholtz, Ryan Root, Brent House and James Newland, continue their strong seasons.

Buckholtz leads the division in both goals (26) and assists (31) and was named the Yeck player of the month for December. Buckholtz scored in each of the Dolphins’ seven games during December, finishing with eight goals and nine assists over that stretch.

Blewitt had 18 goals and 20 assists in 17 games for Port Stanley, replaces Braedon Dorion, who departed the Dolphins in November.

“We picked up Blewitt because we needed a little bit more scoring,” Flynn said. “Losing Dorion hurt because he was good on the power play and good for a point or two a game. I thought we needed one more top six forward to help us offensively.”

Blewett also fills the void with forward Lucas Wilson (15 goals, 22 assists) serving a 10 game suspension, for a second butt-ending infraction, gone from the line-up until the playoffs.

Michael Blue, Christian Tuff and James Newland, were giving suspensions, following the Dorchester-Exeter game on December 22, when a line brawl occurred in the third period, during a Dolphins’ 3-0 win.

“We had that game under control,” Flynn said. “We have to be smarter when we have a game in hand. When we’re winning the game we have to avoid those situations where we lose guys.”

That is certainly crucial now with the Dolphins in a three team fight, with Lambeth and Exeter for first place, having just eight games remaining in the regular season.

“Our goal is to at least get second,” Flynn said. “We like to catch Lambeth but I don’t know if that’s possible. If we finish second, we’ll get home ice for at least the first two rounds of the playoffs.”

While the Dolphins’ power play continues to be number one in the division, improvement is needed while killing penalties.

“We still have to work on our penalty kill. It hasn’t been the best. We have to figure it out because we have been giving up way too many power play goals,” said Flynn. “The easy thing is to just stay out of the box, but easier said than done.”

Ryan Root scored the Dolphins’ lone goal, in the 2-1 loss to Exeter last Saturday in Dorchester.

“We were short-handed and also sick. We had no energy and really only had the one line going,” said Flynn on the loss.

There were a couple roster moves on the blue-line. Jaden Glew (goal, 11 assists, in 39 games last season) has been resigned, while Nate Frisbee (two assists in 23 games) was traded to Lambeth.

The Dolphins host the Port Stanley Sailors this Friday, January 12. Then the two teams meet in St. Thomas, at Memorial arena, on Tuesday, January 16 (8:30 p.m.). Between those games against the Sailors, the Dolphins head to Parkhill, on Saturday, January 13, to face the North Middlesex Stars.