Sarnia Legionnaires drop second straight to St. Thomas Stars

By Dan McCaffery

The Sarnia Legionnaires dropped their second straight game Thursday, falling 4-3 to the St. Thomas Stars.

With less than three minutes to go in regulation time, Thomas Kohler scored the winner with a shot that came almost from centre ice.

The unlikely goal spoiled what had otherwise been a thrilling hockey game for the more than 1,200 fans in attendance at the Brock Street Barn.

"That was a great Jr. 'B' game,” Sarnia coach Dan Rose said afterward. “We played pretty well, we just came out on the wrong end of the score.”

He added it was much like a playoff contest.

Kyle Washer, who stopped 26 of 30 shots, took the loss in net..

The setback dropped Washer's record to 15-6-1.

The Legionnaires fired 39 pucks on the St. Thomas cage.

With the victory, the Stars moved into a tie for second place in the Western Ontario Hockey Conference standings with the idle London Nationals.

Both are five points behind the first place Legionnaires.

Captain Tyler Cicchini scored his eighth of the campaign for Sarnia, while single markers went to defenceman Steve Farlow, who got his fourth and Evan Dixon, who notched his 16th.

The Legionnaires were without the services of scoring ace Brent Sauve, rugged rearguard Jeff Paulley and rookie Daniel Nikandrov, who are all injured.

In addition, Spencer Bronzi left the game after being checked in the head.

No penalty was called on the play but Rose said Sarnia will send a tape of the incident to the league.

At the end of the game there was a fight that will result in an automatic one-game suspension to Legionnaire Nathan Mater.

Sarnia returns to action Saturday when it hosts the Leamington Flyers.

Tags: legionnaires lose, Sarnia Legionnaires, St. Thomas Stars, Western Ontario Hockey League