AKWESASNE, ONTARIO – Akwesasne Warrior forward Miguel Delisle tallied a natural hat trick, including the game winner in the third period to propel his team to a 4-3 win over the 1000 Islands Privateers at the Anowarako’wa Arena tonight. The victory snapped 1000 Islands’ three-game winning streak and put the Warriors back atop the Federal Hockey League standings.
 
1000 Islands opened the scoring as Will Laporte and Alex Goupil set up Ryan Pearson in front. Travis Stacey answered for the Warriors, banging home a rebound to tie the game. The second period started with a fight between 1000 Islands Chase Tippin and Akwesasne’s Ryan Alcalde. Tippin won the fight handily.
 
Harry Mahesh broke the deadlock with the lone helper going to Michael Byrd. Goupil notched his 41^st goal of the year, leading the FHL, off assists from Tyler Fernandez and Marcus Pryde. With his team trailing, Delisle took over. He scored twice to tie less than four minutes apart to tie the game. Tension mounted as the game entered the third period. Delisle capped the comeback, finishing a nice two-on-one. Warriors goalie David Plouffe stopped 27 of 30 and the defense held 1000 Islands to two shots in the final stanza.
 
The two teams will meet a final time in the regular season at Bonnie Castle Thursday night. The team will honor the men and women who serve the North Country for 1^st Responders Appreciation Night.
 
Discount tickets will be available to those in uniform.
 
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AKWESASNE, ONTARIO – The 1000 Islands Privateers have always faltered at one specific hurdle when attempting to gain first place in Federal Hockey League, defeating the Warriors at home. Saturday night, the team finally cleared that obstacle and won at the Turtle Dome 5-2 to snatch first place from Akwesasne. FHL Player of the Month Alex Goupil scored three consecutive goals within six minutes of the second period to pace the offense.
 
The Privateers decided to start the game in a different way than the last four losses at Akwesasne and scored first. Marcus Pryde scored from Chase Tippin and Harry Mahesh.
 
Travis Stacey responded eight seconds later to tie the game. The Privateers killed off a first period double-minor to Will Laporte to preserve the tie. Goupil took over the game in the second period, tallying unassisted to break the tie, then was set up by Michael Byrd and Evan Romeo. He completed the natural hat trick on the power play with assists going to Byrd and Tyler Fernandez, netting his league-leading 40^th goal of the year. Adam McAllister made it 5-1 in the third off feeds from Pryde and Justin Levac. Chad Bazin closed out scoring for the Warriors. 1000 Island dominated the fight sheet, as Will Laporte battled Kyle Lagace and Tippin dropped Stacey in the much-anticipated heavyweight battle. Richard Sillery stopped 45 of 47 saves for his third straight win against Akwesasne. The Warriors drop into a second-place with New York.
 
The teams will play another home-and-home this upcoming week. The Privateers will visit Akwesasne Wednesday and host them Thursday night at 7 PM. The team will honor the men and women who serve the North Country for 1^st Responders Appreciation Night. Discount tickets will be available to those in uniform.
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ALEXANDRIA BAY, NY – The 1000 Islands Privateers scored four goals in the second period and four more in the third to defeat the Akwesasne Warriors 8-4 today at the Bonnie Castle Rec Center. The team overcame an early deficit and earned a split of the weekend series, staying five points behind first-place Akwesasne.
 
Joshua Desmarias opened scoring in both the first and second period to stake the league-leaders to a 2-0 lead. Ryan Pearson cut the lead to 2-1 off feeds from Adam McAllister and Justin Levac. Alex Goupil and Brian Marks set up Tyler Fernandez to tie the game, while Levac gave 1000 Islands the lead from McAllister and Harry Mahesh.
 
The three goals came in a four minute, 56 second span early in the second period. Pearson got his second of the period with assists going to Fernandez and Byrd. Ahmed Mahfouz cut the lead to 4-3 before the second period ended. Privateers forward Alex Goupil scored his league-leading 36^th of the season as Fernandez and Byrd earned the assists. The Privateers finally capitalized on a power play as Fernandez fed James Kirkwood for his fourth goal in three games. This goal spelled the end of the day for Warriors’ goalie David Plouffe, shooting for his 20^th win on the year.
 
Fernandez registered a shorthanded goal against backup Nicolas St. Laurent with Goupil getting the lone helper.
 
Byrd lit the lamp with assists going to Pearson and McAllister. Desmarais did complete the hat trick but that was little solace as the Privateers took their third consecutive win at home against their rivals. Richard Sillery stopped 24 of 28 shots for 1000 Islands to get his first win against the Warriors before a crowd of 412.
 
The Privateers and Warriors will meet again this Friday at Bonnie Castle.
 
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DANBURY, Conn – Friday night at the Danbury Ice Arena was supposed to be a duel between Privateers’ goalie Josselin St. Pierre and Whalers’ netminder Peter Skoggard. It ended with Danbury’s Alex Kirschner converting an overtime penalty shot against Richard Sillery, completing a four-goal comeback as the Whalers defeated the Privateers 6-5 in overtime. Nick Neidert got the win for the Whalers in relief.
Privateers’ Adam McAllister took his first shift with his new line and beat Skoggard over the shoulder to open scoring 30 seconds into the contest. Justin Levac and Alex Lacombe got the assists. Danbury responded as Paul Arnott converted a rebound.   Privateers’ winger Adam McAllister tipped in a Shawn Fensel shot to reclaim the lead on the power play. Lacombe got the other assist. Levac made it 3-1 on a 5-on-3, with Fensel and Lacombe again credited with the helpers. That ended Skoggard’s night and Neidert entered the contest.  
Ryan Pearson made it 4-1 Privateers in the second with Tyler Fernandez and Alex Goupil earning the assists. Marcus Pryde scored his first goal with the team as Brian Marks got the assist. Danbury cut the lead to 5-2 as TJ Kelly converted after Kirschner collided with St. Pierre. Richard Sillery took over for his fallen teammate as St. Pierre was taken to a local hospital for further observation. Whalers’ center Lynn Beedle opened third period scoring while Andrew Willock cut the Privateers’ lead to one. Kirschner tied the game with 47 seconds to go, converting a 5-on-3 power play.
Kirschner sent the Danbury faithful home happy with the penalty shot after he was hauled down on a breakaway.
The Privateers travel to New York Saturday night to face the Aviators at 7:30 PM. The Privateers will return to the Bonnie Castle Rec Center on January 16^th to host the Rome Frenzy at 3 PM. Following the game will be the Privateers auction. Fans can bid on signed gear, game-used equipment, and unique fan experiences with proceeds benefiting the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Northern New York. Comment@prohockeynews.com

ALEXANDRIA BAY, NY –      The 1000 Islands Privateers rode a four-goal second period and goaltender Rich Sillery’s first professional shutout to a 5-0 victory over the Danbury Whalers tonight in Federal Hockey League action. Forward Alex Goupil scored twice as 709 watched the Privateers win their sixth straight at the Bonnie Castle Rec Center.
 
The strength of the Privateers recent winning streak has been their power play efficiency. That was on display early as Michael Byrd and Tyler Fernandez set up Goupil for a tip-in shot to open scoring in the first period. Goupil tallied early in the second as Byrd and Fernandez earned the assists. Fernandez now has a 13-game scoring streak. Brownville’s own Brian Marks and Harry Mahesh set up Sebastian Panetta for his 15^th goal of the season as Mahesh earned his first point with the team. Byrd lit the lamp with helpers going to Goupil and Fernandez. Nick Laporte and James Kirkwood broke Adam Mcallister who used a close deke move to beat Whalers’ goalie Ryan Donovan to the post. That was the last goal of the night and the end of Donovan’s, who gave way to Nick Neidert.
 
The teams skated a scoreless third. Much of the anticipation surrounding this contest regarded Corey Fulton, Danbury’s toughman and the FHL’s leader in penalty minutes and fighting majors, perhaps dropping the gloves with Clayton’s own Sean Crump.
 
Crump received many cheers from the crowd but never got to thrill them with his fisticuffs. Privateers’ forward Ryan Pearson did earn a decision as he bloodied Andrew Willock in the second period.
 
During the offensive explosion, Richard Sillery collected his first professional shutout, stopping all 29 shots he faced. He later gave much of the credit to his teammates: “It feels good. The whole team played sick defense tonight. They cleared guys out and forced routine shots from the outside.”
 
The Privateers conclude their Holiday Homestand on Friday against Rome.
 
The 1000 Islands Privateers operate in Alexandria Bay and are a founding franchise in the Federal Hockey League. The Privateers play at the Bonnie Castle Recreation Center in Alexandria Bay.
 
  “The future is now” in the Federal Hockey League as the top talent play professional hockey with a chance to advance their careers.
 
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