At the Root of the Dolphins victory

    Dolphins sweep season series with Lancers with a 4-2 win lead by a pair of 

    goals from Ryan Root and a two point night for David Henshaw

    Friday, January 12, 2019

By Rob J. Ross 

DORCHESTER - It was a game with a playoff feel to it. Not surprising considering the post season is nearing and these two rivals have a history of meeting in the playoffs.

Ryan Root scored twice including the winner and one into an empty net and David Henshaw had a goal and an assist, as the Dorchester Dolphins improved to 26-6-0-0 in Provincial Junior Hockey League action, doubling up on the Lambeth Lancers, 4-2.

The Dolphins takes the season series, winning all five games, with Root scorching the Lancers with five goals and six assists.

Dorchester and Lambeth have met in the Yeck final three times, including last year.

Dorchester maintains a five point advantage over second place Exeter, while Lambeth sits in third spot, one point ahead of both Thamesford and North Middlesex.

"It's a good experience so we know what to do in the playoffs," said Henshaw. "We have to play like that. We had a couple of games where we were slacking, but a game like today will win a lot of games. A lot of good for-checking, back checking and getting pucks out of our zone."

Henshaw has four goals and 15 assists this season, but the 19-year old Dorchester native has two goals and four assists in the past four games.

Ryan Van Roestel, with his 13th goal of the campaign, Henshaw and Root, gave the Dolphins a 3-1 lead after the opening period.

Tyler Foslett, in his first game with Lambeth after being acquired from Port Stanley put the Lancers on the board. Ray Robbins made it 3-2.

The Lancers pulled goalie Richard Little with 1:10 remaining in the third period, pressing for the equalizer. Dolphins keeper Matt Waller stayed sharp making three of his 32 saves in the game, while watching two pucks whizzed just wide of the post.

"We took the second period off but I think that was one of our best first and third periods we've played in awhile. We cleaned up a lot of little things and were less sloppy," said Root, who has 23 goals and 19 assists this season. "Steelsy (Dolphins' head coach Mark Steele) implements a lot of new systems. When we do them, we dominate. In the first period we did them to a tee. We do need to capitalize on our power play, me included."

The Dolphins were zero for two with the man advantage, while the Lancers were zero for three. Root had three power play goals, one shorty and six game winners among his 23 goals.

A home and home set with the Exeter Hawks is next for Dorchester.  A pair of Dolphin wins would put them in command of first place.

"Exeter always comes out extremely hard hitting and tries to put you on your heels," said Root. "We're not a hard hitting team. We have to not retaliate and keep our calm, especially me. We have to hit them back and show we wont be pushed around, but don't take our selves out of the play to make a hit."

The Dolphins visit Exeter Saturday, before hosting the Hawks, Thursday, the 17th.

The two teams split two previous meetings, each winning on home ice.