Courtesy: Buffalo Jr. Sabres

(Amherst, NY) - The Buffalo Jr. Sabres built up a 4-0 lead then withstood a late Orangeville Flyers comeback, winning at the Northtown Center at Amherst, 5-3, in Ontario Junior Hockey League action.

Tyler Gjurich opened the scoring at the 8:40 mark of the first period, scoring his fourth goal of the season.  Ryan Schmelzer scored his 3rd goal of the season late in the first to send Buffalo into the first intermission leading 2-0.

Goals by Nick Gullo and Nathan Pelligra in the second period built Buffalo’s lead to 4-0, which held through the 11:20 mark of the third period, when Mathew Thompson’s power play goal broke Parker Gahagen’s shutout.   Buffalo couldn’t stay out of the penalty box, and the Flyers capitalized on Jordan Carvalho’s 5-on-3 power play goal at the 14:55 mark of the third.

Carvalho scored again to cut the Jr. Sabres’ lead to 4-3.  Buffalo’s Darrin Trebes scored on his own late power play goal to give the Jr. Sabres some more room.  Buffalo again found themselves killing a 5-on-3 in the final minute of play but the team kept Orangeville from taking a shot, and the Jr. Sabres secured a 5-3 win to improve their record to 4 wins and 2 losses so far this season.

Parker Gahagen turned aside 24 shots to earn his third win of the season.

The team will travel to the Toronto Jr. Canadiens for a Saturday night game, then host the Hamilton Red Wings on Sunday, September 30 at 7:30pm in the Northtown Center at Amherst.

Link to boxscore: http://buffalo.stats.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=1989530