Stars meet fans at Libro St. Thomas
Saturday, January 20, 2018
Jake Robinson, of the St. Thomas Stars, signs a puck for a young fan, during the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League team's visit to Libro St. Thomas. The Stars were out meeting fans, signing autographs and giving away tickets to their January 26th home game. (photo / Rob J. Ross)
By Rob J. Ross
ST. THOMAS - Lucky or unlucky.
The next 13 games, which is the remainder of the regular season, will determine if the St. Thomas Stars can achieve their goal of finishing second, in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL) Western Conference.
Currently, it's a four team battle with the Stars, LaSalle Vipers, Leamington Flyers and Sarnia Legionnaires, gunning for second spot, behind the London Nationals, the run away leaders in the West.
Only five points separate the Vipers, currently in second and the Stars, who sit in fifth place.
Today, Adam Keyes, Kevin Hu, Jake Robinson, Christian Clark and goalie Jesse Hodgson, were at Libro St. Thomas, signing autographs and handing out tickets for their home game, against Leamington, on January 26th.
The Stars have two games remaining against the Flyers and one each with LaSalle and Sarnia.
"We need to have a big record over these next 13 games. We set our goal to come second in the league. That's our goal and we're going to strive for that," said Keyes. "The key games are against those three teams that we're real close too. Those are like four point games. We have to take those games for sure."
Hu adds a balanced offensive attack is a must.
"The most important thing is to get everyone scoring. It's not going to work is we just have one line. We need everyone involved, making good plays and playing good defence as well," Hu said "We have to get all of our lines going, everyone chipping in. Everyone has to come prepared. We can't think about it too much. We can't force it."
St. Thomas tightened the standings with a 5-3 win over the Vipers, Friday, at the Timken Centre.
Keyes scored the game winner midway through the third period and added an empty net goal with 11 seconds left remaining.
"It was our first win of 2018, so it gets the boys back on a roll. It was big for us," Keyes said. "We're on our game when we're skating hard. We're a fast team, so we like to get pucks deep, fore-check hard and that's how we create turnovers and create scoring opportunities."
Jake Desando with two goals and Robinson also scored for the Stars. Hu picked up two assists and now has 63 points, third best in the entire GOJHL.
St. Thomas Stars' Jesse Hodgson, left, Kevin Hu, Jake Robinson, Adam Keyes and Christian Clark, with fans Caleb, front left and Micah Burke. Keyes scored the winning goal in the Stars' 5-3 win over LaSalle last night. Robinson also scored and Hu had two assists. Hodgson was between the pipes. The Stars host the Strathroy Rockets Sunday (8 p.m.) (photo / Rob J. Ross)
"We had big key shot blocks at the end. We have a lot of good defensive forwards and no one is afraid to block shots." Hu said. "We played really well five-on-five. All of their goals were on the power play."
The Stars penalty kill was as high as number two in the entire GOJHL, but currently is eighth overall.
"We're one of the least penalized teams in the league, so that helps us the most," Keyes said "When killing them, we have great PK-ers. We force them and make sure we get the puck out."
Hu is quietly having one of the Stars best individual seasons, with 29 goals and 34 assists in 36 games. The 20-year old has four game winners and three goals while short-handed.
"He has been unbelievable, on and off the ice. He's a leader. He shows us what hard work is all about." Keyes said. "The points come to him because he is such a hard worker. He knows how to play the game and he's in the right spot all of the time."
Hu downplays his stats, crediting line-mates Keyes and Cal Horvat.
"I got off to a really good start and just kept up with the momentum. I don't think it about it too much, just play the best I can every game," Hu said. "I've been working well with my line-mates. We have lots of chemistry. We know where we are on the ice all of the time. It has been working so far, so hopefully we can keep it up."
Prior to the trade deadline, the Stars acquired 17-year old twins, Brett and Kyle Fisher, from the Komoka Kings. Forward Jake McPhee went to Komoka. Kyle has eight goals and 11 assists in 18 games, while Brett has two goals and 12 assists in 19 games.
The Stars also shipped forward Justin Badour to the Chatham Maroons.
Mason Millman signed a standard player agreement an education package with the Saginaw Spirit, who drafted the defenceman, in the seventh round of the 2017 OHL draft. Millman had six goals and 11 assists in 34 games for the Stars.
Of the Stars' final 13 games, five are against teams below .500 and five are at the Timken Centre, including tomorrow's home game versus Strathroy (8 p.m.).