Admirals make it three straight with win over Blades

Amherstburg goalie Landon Dimitroff covers up the puck in Saturday night’s game. The Admirals won 6-1.

Defence wins hockey games.

The Amherstburg Admirals proved that Saturday night in a convincing 6-1 win over the visiting Blenheim Blades at the Libro Centre.

It was the third straight win for the Admirals who now sport a 3-1 record in the Provincial Junior Hockey League (Jr. C) West Stobbs Division.

“We are coming together as a team,” said Amherstburg veteran defenceman Jake Goudreault.

The Admirals started the 2025-26 campaign with a loss to the Wheatley Sharks but since then have beaten Dresden, Walpole Island and now the Blades.

“In practice, we work hard and we prepare for the game,” said assistant coach Justin Toth.

Toth saw his charges take a 1-0 lead after the first period and build that to 5-0 after 40 minutes. Amherstburg’s special teams came ready to play as four of the tallies were on the powerplay and another came shorthanded.

Getting his second win in net, Landon Dimitroff turned away 21 shots and was named the Admirals’ player of the game.

“Our goalie played really good when we needed him. I know he wasn’t getting a lot of shots at times,” said Goudreault.

On the blueline, Amherstburg has got a lot of new faces and Saturday night only two veterans suited up, Freddie McCroy and Goudreault. 

That does not mean the rookies are not pulling their wait and early in the game Holden Wiley made a nice play, showing he is strong on his skates, which set the tone early.

“We know we’ve got a lot of new players on the back end so we know we want to develop a system and I think we are finally there,” said Toth.

Brody Gillis led Amherstburg with a pair with singles from Stefan Djordjevic, Brett Jones, Goudreault and with 29 seconds left in the game, a shorthanded marker by Brady Drouillard. For Goudreault, it was his third goal in four games.

“I think I am off to a hot start. I am getting better opportunities and I hope they keep coming my way.”

Former Admirals goalie Russell Vaughan started in net for Blenheim making 24 saves before giving way to Jake Vancoille in the second. Michael MacKellar had the Blades lone goal.

On Thursday, Amherstburg travelled to Walpole Island and beat the Wild 3-2. Goudreault, Cory Leach and Drew Booker scored for the Admirals.

Amherstburg does not play at home this Saturday as they are in Dresden Friday and travel to Mooretown to face the Flags the following night.

SLAPSHOTS — Great game against the Blades by rookie forward Brayden Hebert who had three assists… The Admirals will play in Harrow on Thursday, Oct. 16… After four games, Gillis leads the team with  seven points, Goudreault has six and Booker five points.

Admirals make it three straight with win over Blades

By Fred Groves