Dolphins fall to last season's PJHL finalist Tavistock

DORCHESTER, Ont, - If there is a measuring stick for a level a team strives to reach in the PJHL, a good example are the Tavistock Braves, league finalists last season.

The Braves showed they are championship contenders again, downing the Dorchester Dolphins, 6-1, Saturday, September 19, at the Flight Exec Centre.

"Tavi plays hard. They play simple hockey and they compete. They outworked us and they have some elite players who convert on their chances," Dolphins' head coach Jordan Fuller said. "They play structured and are heavy on the forecheck, what we are wanting to do, but haven't quite got there. Our D didn't have time to make any plays in the back end. It's something we're trying to get to that they do well."

Tavistock opened the scoring on the power play and led 3-1 after one period, outshooting their hosts, 17-8. The Titans stretched their lead to 5-1, following 40 minutes.

"They dogged us for the first 40," said Fuller. "We were off tonight."

Ethan Bourgeois, with his third goal of the season, had the Dolphins' lone marker.

Tyler Klein with two goals, Owen Yagar, Jack Hodge, Yann Raskin and Jacob Skuta, who also had two assists, tallied for Tavistock. Evan Palubeski collected four assists.

Undisciplined penalties are not helping the Dolphins.

"We spent a lot of time in the box last night (at Wellesley) too. A little bit of frustration," said Fuller. "We've talked about discipline and we have to be better. We were getting on the power play and then we take a five minute major. That's tough."

Fortunately the penalty kill has been a strength for the 'Phins over their first four games.

"Our special teams have been good. Our kill was good. (Tavistock) had one on the power play and (against Wellesley) we were five for five," Fuller said. "The special teams have been there, but it's been our five on five play."

At Wellesley, the Dolphins fell, 6-3.

Alex Joyce gave the Dolphins a 1-0 lead with 53 seconds remaining in the first period, only to see Wellesley tie the game 14 seconds later.

Tied at two, Wellesley scored four consecutive goals, for a 6-2 lead.

Quinn Gavin-White, with his team leading fourth goal, knotting the game at two, and Jayden Hazelwood in the last minute of the third period, scored for the Dolphins.

Gavin-White leads the Dolphins in scoring with six points. LJ Legault has five points, with a goal and four assists and Colsen Joyce, two goals and two assists.

The Dolphins will welcome Liam Brulotte when the defencemen returns from injury.

"He eats a lot of minutes and he's good at zone exits," said Fuller. "Not having those guys (Brulotte, Kyle Pandour) on our back end has been a bt of a struggle. Looking at our goals against. We've been giving up six a night. That's not going to cut it."

The bench boss adds it's a combination of pucks both goalies would admit they should have stopped and the team in front allowing too many scoring chances.

Pandour and Anthony Gartley will miss two games each, suspensions for head contact major penalties.

The Dolphins have three games in three nights next weekend, visiting Norwich Friday, before hosting Paris and Wellesley.

Then the team has a two week break, as head coach Fuller has his wedding day, October 3.