GJURICH NETS 50th GOAL

Press Release

Buffalo Jr. Sabres forward and OJHL leading scorer Tyler Gjurich (photo courtesy of the Buffalo Jr. Sabres)scored two goals against the visiting Mississauga Chargers to become the first player to reach the magical 50 goal milestone this season.

Gjurich became only the second player in the history of the franchise to score 50 or more goals, and reached the milestone early in the first period, along the way to Buffalo's 5-3 over the Mississauga Chargers at the Northtown Center at Amherst on Sunday evening.

Mississauga jumped out to the early lead on a power play goal but Gjurich's 50th goal tied the game at the 6:57 mark. The Chargers twice regained the lead but a shorthanded goal by Max Mikowski and Gjurch's second goal of the night again even the score.

Pat Egan's 27th goal of the year, at the 16:51 mark of the second, proved to be the game winner while Mikowski scored his second goal into the empty late in the third to secure Buffalo's win.

As mentioned, only once before in the history of this junior franchise has a player scored 50 or more goals in a single season. The only other person to do it was current Montreal Canadiens captain Brian Gionta, who netted 57 goals in the 1996-97 season when the franchise was known as the Niagara Scenics.

Buffalo now holds a three-point lead over the Georgetown Raiders in the OJHL West with both teams having two games left on their schedules. The Raiders face Orangeville on Monday. A loss will clinch first place for the Jr. Sabres. Meanwhile, Buffalo's next game is on Wednesday, February 20 at 7:00pm in the First Niagara Center in downtown Buffalo, where they'll host the Oakville Blades.


 (Nathan can be reached at nathanfournier@mainehockeyjournal.com)