CANTON – After struggling on Thursday and Friday, if the P.A.L. Jr. Islanders had any intentions of taking home a win at the 2014 Junior Chowder Cup, they waited until nearly the last possible minute to do so. The Isles capitalized on a second half rally to earn a 5-2 win over the 495 Stars in their ’98 Division finale on Friday at the Canton Sports Plex.
Things started out well on Friday for the Stars, who also entered the contest in search of their first win, Garrett Lehan giving his side the early 1-0 lead with a goal just 1:48 into the game. Yet, as would happen on a pair of occasions, the Islanders battled back to tie the game, the first time on an Everett Wardle goal at 5:57. It was the centerman’s third goal of the tournament.
Lehan gave the Stars the lead a second time with another unassisted goal, this one coming at 12:46 of the first half. The Islanders came back to tie it again, but not until late in the half, Michael Sacco putting one away at 22:12 for a 2-2 score that held until halftime.
When the teams returned to the ice, it was all Islanders as they ran for three in the period to end the game with a comfortable margin. Chris Guido, Sacco and Thomas McGuire all scored in the second to bring the score to its 5-2 final. The five goals in the contest matching the combined total the Islanders had scored in their previous two contests in the tournament.
