Diab great game for Pens - 5 games this weekend

East Hants Penguins forward Finley Diab played a dominating game Thursday night at home in the Nova Scotia Junior Hockey League’s lone game Thursday night.  The Toronto, Ontario native scored twice and added a pair of assists pacing the Penguins to a 7-2 verdict over the Pictou County Scotians.  Surprisingly, the score was not a true indication of the game as the Penguins did tenacious forechecking at lengthy times in the game but Pictou still showed their ability to skate.  The key issue for the Scotians was despite their fast-paced style of skating, they had trouble making crisp plays and setting up teammates at critics times.  When they did, Fintan Boudreau in the Pens nets was there to make superlative saves.

The game also established a first in Nova Scotia Junior Hockey History as four female officials did the game and did not fool around.  Shauna Neary, Jenna Leighton, Sophie Thomson and Mykaela Sherry displayed poise.  No penalties were called in either the first or third periods but they did assess 9 minors in the second period when frustrations began to show from both sides but the officials handled things in a fair and efficient manner,  In the final seven minutes of the second period, both teams displayed great end to end rushing.  East Hants outshot Pictou 11-10 in both the first and second periods and outscored them 3-1 in both periods before the Pens took control in the third scoring two unanswered goals and outshooting the Scotians 16-5  for a game total of 38-25.  Both goaltenders stopped key breakaways in the third period,  Eli James stopped Braedy Kirkton of the Penguins and Fintan Boudreau stopped Peter McNamara of the Scotians stone-cold as he went in alone.

McNamara bought the Scotias back to within two goals on a sensational three-way passing play with  Nate Supryka and Lane Lochead.  Finley Diab’s first goal of the game came on a shot from 10-15 feet out that eluded Eli James to the high blocker side of the net that barely made it between Jame’s sweater and to going over the net.  Diab’s other goal came in the opening 56 seconds of the third period to make it 6- 2 East Hants.  Nik Xidos scored the Penguins 7th goal of the game.  Other East Hants goal scorers were Aiden Nicholson with a pair and an assist, Nick Morin and Jayson Hanson.  John-Kay Martin was the other Scotians goal scorer.

With Thanksgiving Weekend now upon us and Canadians are expected to eat over 21 million turkey’s, the schedule is light with only 5 games scheduled.  Two are Friday night as the Jr, Miners travel to Metro to play the Capstone Colts at 7:30 while Port Hawkesbury and the Windsor Oxen collide in Windsor at the John Paris Jr, rink at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday will see the Oxen in Antigonish for a Saturday night game while Eskasoni will play in Sackville. The final game of the weekend has Sackville in Pictou to play the Scotians.