GANDER, NL – The last period of hockey in the last game of the regular play at the Steele Community Centre on Sunday afternoon determined who would finish the Central West Senior Hockey season in first place.
Both the Gander Flyers and the Clarenville Caribous were vying for the win that would come with a bye to the league’s finals.
The Flyers took control of the game early, picking up a 2-1 lead in the first period. Jordan Escott and Mitch Oake would net goals form the Flyers. Ryan DesRosiers would provide the Caribous with its first point of the game.
In the second, the Flyers started what seemed like a runway game, with more goals from Oake, Escott, and two from Brandon Hynes.
After falling behind 6-2, the Caribous would begin chipping away at the deficit, picking up four goals of their own – by Mike Dyke, Chris Sparkes, DesRosiers and Kenny Mahoney – before the period would end.
Into the third, after killing off the remainder of a carryover penalty, the Flyers would net an assurance goal from Andrew Paul. Brett Shute would provide the empty netter, to shore up the 8-5 win for the Flyers.
In the playoffs, the Caribous will face the Grand Falls-Windsor Cataracts. The winner of this series will face the Flyers in the finals. The playoff dates have not yet been posted to the Central West Senior Hockey League website.
