Caledon Admirals spring to life with feisty wins over Panthers and Toronto Patriots

By Jim Stewart

The rookie-laden Caledon Admirals are playing their best hockey midway through the OJHL season.

Caledon's Junior A club has won three of its last six games including a thrilling 4-3 win over the fourth-place Menace in Milton, a decisive 5-1 triumph over the perennially playoff-bound Pickering Panthers on Thursday night on home ice, and a shocking 2-1 double overtime victory over the high-scoring Patriots on Saturday night in Toronto. 

Rookie forward Curtis Freeman tallied a goal and three assists in the Admirals' 5-1 win over Pickering at the Mayfield Icebox on Thursday night.  Freeman credited Henry Brady, Luca Bonomo, and Owen Meli for converting his feeds into goals as the Admirals jumped out to a 3-0 lead by the midway point of the second period.

“My teammates—Henry, Luca, and Owen—finished my passes so well against Pickering.” 

After Pickering's Noah Smith narrowed his team's deficit to 3-1 at 4:52 of the third period, Freeman restored the Admirals' three-goal lead when he beat Panthers' goalie Ian Michelone at 11:20.  Cam Lang—with his 16th assist of the season– and Ash Mitchelmore set up the rookie forward.

Freeman described his goal that subdued the Panthers.

“I got a great pass right on my tape from Mitchelmore and was able to find the back of the net.”

Mitchelmore also set up Tanner Greenwood's empty net goal with thirty-five seconds left to close the scoring versus Pickering (12-15-1-1).

Caledon goaltender Calem Yorke earned the W by making 36 saves.

On Saturday night, the Admirals held one of the most potent OJHL offences scoreless for two periods and Yorke had a significant role in the upset victory by turning aside 39 of the 40 shots he faced in almost 66 minutes of work against the fifth-place Patriots (16-11-1-3).  

Caledon led 1-0 when Freeman and Greenwood set up Ayden Agius who beat Patriots' goalie Alex Levshyn at 16:17 of the second period. 

Noah Vettese put the puck past Yorke at 13:30 of the final frame to tie the game and force overtime.

Thirty-seven seconds into the second overtime period, rookie defenseman Owen Meli fired his fifth of the season with helpers from Agius and Lang to set off a raucous celebration by the rapidly-improving Admirals.

Freeman described his teammate's OT winner.

“Meli went top shelf against his old team.  He skated by them during our celebration.  It was a big goal for us.”