Photo Courtesy: Navaneeth Mohan, 94.9 Radio Western

The London Nationals have won the Bill Weir Championship for the fourth straight year after a 6-2 win over the Leamington Flyers on Wednesday evening.

The Nationals took control of the series over the weekend with a 5-2 win on Saturday in Game 2 then a 5-3 win on the road on Sunday in Game 3. Coming into the game, both George Diaco and James Turner had 17 points apiece through the Nationals’ 13 playoff games. Turner has scored 12 goals to lead his team while Diaco has recorded 12 assists—half of his assist output in 47 regular season games where he put up 24 helpers.

The Flyers have been led by stingy defence and strong goaltending, with netminder Zach Borgiel finishing the regular season with the fourth-best goals against average (2.25) and the third-best save percentage (.924). In the playoffs, Borgiel has elevated his numbers to a 1.98 GAA and a .930 save percentage, both of which are third-ranked in the entire GOJHL. As far as skaters are concerned on the Flyers, they have been led by Dylan Weston who has 7 goals and 7 assists in 15 playoff games. During the regular season, Leamington was led by Adam Jeffrey who had 19 goals and 29 assists but has not played since the first round of the playoffs.

The Flyers got onto the board first just three and a half minutes into the game. Cameron Armstrong was sprung on a breakaway off a nice stretch pass from Zach Taylor which Armstrong would finish over the glove of Zach Springer. Leamington enjoyed a 1-0 lead on their first shot of the game. Things went from bad to worse for the Nationals in the first period when they racked up two quick penalties to give the Flyers a lengthy 5-on-3 opportunity. Zach Springer made three incredible saves for the Nats to keep his team’s deficit to 1-0. After successfully killing off the two-man advantage, London headed to a powerplay of their own, where Christian Polillo scored his seventh of the playoffs off a cross-ice dish from Adam Keyes. Late in the first period, as a powerplay expired, Wes Dobbin poked home a ricochet off the end-boards to make it 2-1 for the Nationals. They would go into the first intermission outshooting Leamington 14-6 with the one-goal lead.

Just over two minutes into the third period, James Turner came streaking down the left-wing side and got a step on his defender which allowed him to cut to the net and jam home his first goal since Game 1 of the series to give London a 3-1 lead. Just seconds into London’s third powerplay of the game, James Turner would score his second of the night off a nice feed from Max Vinogradov to give London firm control of the tilt. The Nats would chase Borgiel on their next powerplay, with George Diaco scoring his team’s third goal on the man-advantage to go up 5-1 midway through the period. On Leamington’s second 5-on-3 of the game, they would finally break through with Zach Taylor scoring on a one-timer while breaking his stick. London led the shot clock 25-16 after 40 minutes and enjoyed a 5-2 lead.

The Nationals simply parked the bus in the third period, playing a tight, defensive game to preserve their lead. Christian Polillo scored his second of the game to make it 6-2, with James Turner’s assist being his third point of the night. The Nationals would hold on for the 6-2 win, capturing their fourth straight Western Conference title.

James Turner won the Western Conference MVP award for scoring 14 goals and 5 assists in 14 playoff games. London has lost only two games in the playoffs so far and have a +36-goal differential in 14 games. The Nationals do not yet know who they will play but will likely be the #1 seed in the Sutherland Cup, which will get underway next week.