Bax Scores Overtime Winner, As Sarnia Sweeps Weekend, Beating Brampton 2-1

By Carl Chimenti

Jordan Bax, fresh off a two-goal, three-point effort the previous night, scored the game-winning goal at 3:20 of overtime to lift the Sarnia Sting (16-30-5-1) to a 2-1 victory over the Brampton Steelheads (15-27-6-2) Saturday afternoon at the CAA Centre.

Bax (14th) jumped on his own rebound and beat Steelheads goaltender Zach Bowen with a backhand to give the Sting a very important two points in what proved to be the most important game of the season. Alessandro Di Iorio recorded the primary assist, while Cameron Aucoin picked up the second helper.

Logan Hawery (4th) scored the first Sting goal in the opening period, and that would be all the offense Sarnia needed in a tightly played defensive battle from start to finish.

Sting goaltender Kale Osipenko, making his second straight start of the weekend, was once again a major factor in the win. Osipenko stopped all but one of the 25 shots he faced as Sarnia out-shot Brampton 38-25.

Although the Steelheads tied the game at 8:38 of the third period on an unassisted goal from Carter Hicks, Osipenko came up with several key saves down the stretch. Early in the period, he denied Justin Bottineau, and late in regulation he robbed Julian DeMiglio with a point-blank one-timer to force overtime, setting the stage for Bax’s heroics.

Bax was named the game’s first star, while Brampton’s Jaxon Williams and Carter Hicks earned second and third star honors respectively. Bowen was also solid in goal for the Steelheads, stopping 36 of 38 shots.

Both teams were unable to capitalize on the power play, with Sarnia going 0/3 and Brampton 0/2.

The first period saw the Sting apply heavy offensive pressure, hitting the post twice and holding a commanding 13-5 edge in shots. Brampton did not record its first shot until the 10:20 mark. Osipenko’s best save of the period came off the rush on a shot from Manuel Amado. Tyler Challenger had Sarnia’s best scoring chance, forcing Bowen to make a sharp glove save.

In the second period, Di Iorio rang a shot off the post before the Sting opened the scoring at 6:53. Hawery jumped on a loose puck off a face-off, pulled it back, and roofed it into the far side of the net. The goal was unassisted and marked his first since joining the Sting in a trade from the London Knights. It was Hawery’s third game since returning from injury.

Sarnia out-shot Brampton 11-9 in the second period.