Home opener goes 73's way

The Essex 73’s got their first win of the season, and first career win for head coach Matt Puempel, in Provincial Junior Hockey League regular season play Tuesday night in Essex.

Coming off a frustrating road setback in their season opener against the Wheatley Sharks, the 73’s returned to familiar ice determined to establish their home-ice advantage early in the campaign.

Nearly off the opening puck drop, forward Austin Guevremont, who netted the lone Essex goal in the season opener, continued his scoring ways, pulling the trigger just 1:21 in.

Nash Giles found the back of the net midway through the second period to give Essex a 2-0 lead which it would stay until the middle of the third period at which time Essex took advantage of a Mooretown penalty and, again, it was Guevremont, this time on the powerplay to make it 3-0 Essex.

The blue line corps maintained tight gap control, steering rushes toward the perimeter and making timely pinches to sustain offensive momentum. Behind them, solid netminding by Jack Vancoillie anchored the defensive posture, providing crucial, calm stops during key penalty kills to snuff out any potential momentum shifts.

Essex out shot Mooretown 43-18 and handed them their first loss on the season.