Merchants Stumble on the Road in the Second Game of a Home and Home vs Six Nations

By Mark Stehlin

The Brooklin Merchants opened their 2024 season with a thrilling 12-11 win over the Six Nations Rivermen in their home opener at Luther Vipond Memorial Arena on Friday night. Less than 24 hours later these same teams met in Ohsweken.  The Rivermen opened their season a week ago by defeating Clearview 24-10 and came into the game at 1-1 after Friday night’s loss.

The Merchants opened the scoring in the game with an early power-play marker en route to a 7-5 lead after twenty minutes. The Rivermen struck first in the middle frame to close the gap and after forty minutes the Merchants maintained their two-goal advantage with a 12-10 lead. It was the final frame that tripped up the visitors, their 13-runner line-up seemed to tire with the Rivermen reeling off six straight to open the final frame on their way to winning the third 9-4 and the game 19-16. 

Devon Pipher scored an impressive six times for the Merchants, Nik Farrus and Parker Pipher were good for three each while Ed Renaud and Kellen Pullera notched a pair each.  Ryan Schuetzkowski was in net for the loss on this night.

The Merchants are now on the road for two games. They visit Hamilton on Saturday May 11 and appear in Ennismore on Tuesday May 14 before a return home to LVMA on Friday May 17 at 8 pm to host Owen Sound.