Fri Mar 27, 2009
THUNDER BAY, Ont. (CIS) The defending national champion Alberta Golden Bears couldnt muster enough offence Friday night against the No.6-Lakehead Thunderwolves and were eliminated from gold-medal contention despite a 2-1 victory in the second Pool-A duel of the 2009 CIS mens hockey championship, at Fort William Gardens. Cavendish University Cup website: www.cisport.ca/e/championships/m_hockey/2009
The top-seeded Golden Bears, who last year added to their own all-time record capturing a 13th CIS title, needed a lopsided win against Lakehead to keep their University Cup hopes alive following a 6-3 loss to No.4 UNB on Thursday.
The tournament host Thunderwolves (0-1) need a decisive victory of their own Saturday at 7 p.m. (Rogers Sportsnet / SSN Canada) when they face UNB (1-0) in the final Pool-A round-robin match. Lakehead needs to win by at least two goals to stay alive.
Forward Ben Kilgour of Leduc, Alta., scored on the power play to give the Bears a 1-0 lead 14:46 into the contest. Playing in his final university game, the fifth-year senior blasted a high shot past goaltender Chris Whitley of Oshawa, Ont.
Kilgours goal stood as the only marker of the night until second-team all-Canadian Chad Klassen of Saskatoon made it 2-0 midway through the third frame with his second of the championship. Klassen also beat Whitley upstairs after he accepted a perfect pass from sophomore Derek Ryan of Spokane, Wash., at the end of a three-on-two rush.
Klassen (2-1-3) and Ryan (2-2-4) combined for seven points in the two Alberta outings.
Desperate for a better goal differential that might have extended his teams season, CIS coach of the year Eric Thurston pulled netminder Aaron Sorochan with 27 seconds left in regulation but the strategy backfired as forward Shandor Alphonso of Orangeville, Ont., scored Lakeheads lone goal in the empty net 11 seconds later.
Despite losing his shutout bid, Sorochan, a first-team all-Canadian from Edmonton, earned U of A player-of-the-game honours after he stopped all 31 shots he faced. The fourth-year senior, who led the nation in goals against average (1.66) and save percentage (.937) in conference play, rebounded from a tough opening-day outing during which he was abandoned by his defence and gave up five first-period goals on 12 shots.
Whitley was named the Wolves game MVP following a superb 35-save effort.
I think we had 37 shots tonight but we must have had another 37 that went wide. We had a lot of opportunities and when you look back on it its that lack of finish that killed us, Thurston said. Coming into the game we knew we needed to win by a certain amount and when we didnt get the bounces early, you could see the frustration level rising in the guys.
The line is so thin when you compete at this championship, you cant afford to miss any opportunities you earn.
Second-year Lakehead bench boss Don McKee remained optimistic despite the challenges that lay ahead.
I havent seen the game statistics yet but there were a great number of chances on both sides. When you have a 30-day layoff like we did, the part of your game thats bound to suffer the most is your offensive touch, and I thought we didnt have our touch around the net, said McKee, whose team hadnt played since losing to Laurier on March 1 in the second round of the OUA playoffs.
Saint Marys beat UNB 5-1 on the road in the last game of the AUS final and I made sure the guys understand that if Saint Marys beat them by four in their own rink, we certainly can beat them by four in our rink, added McKee.
GAME NOTES: 2008 University Cup MVP Ian McDonald, a third-year centre from Edmonton, was back in the Alberta lineup after sitting Thursday night game against UNB with a concussion Skating at the University Cup for the 12th time in 13 years, the Golden Bears havent gone 0-2 at the CIS championship since 2001 Alberta is now 4-0 all-time against Lakehead at the University Cup The two teams had met last at the CIS tournament in the 2006 final with the Bears prevailing 3-2 at home in Edmonton
SCORING SUMMARY
No. 1 Alberta 2, No. 6 Lakehead 1
FIRST PERIOD
SCORING:
1. ALB Ben Kilgour (1) (Shaden Moore, Jason Fransoo), 14:46 PP
PENALTIES:
Shaden Moore (ALB) roughing, 6:24;
Shandor Alphonso (LAK) interference, 10:50;
Matt Maisonneuve (LAK) hooking, 10:59;
Kris Hogg (LAK) kneeing, 13:42;
Aaron Sorochan (ALB) (served by Brian Woolger) interference, 15:24;
Shandor Alphonso (LAK) tripping, 17:49.
SECOND PERIOD
SCORING:
No scoring.
PENALTIES:
Brian Woolger (ALB) hooking, 1:09;
Mitch Maunu (LAK) interference, 14:29;
Dale Mahovsky (ALB) holding, 17:06;
ALB bench minor (served by J.P. Szaszkiewicz), 20:00;
LAK bench minor (served by Matt Maisonneuve), 20:00.
THIRD PERIOD
SCORING:
2. ALB Chad Klassen (2) (Derek Ryan) 10:19
3. LAK Shandor Alphonso (1) (Aaron Alphonso, Tobias Whelan) 19:44 EN
PENALTIES:
Scott Dobben (LAK) hooking, 0:23;
Kalvin Sagert (LAK) high-sticking, 6:53;
Ryan Baird (LAK) high-sticking, 11:20;
Jason Fransoo (ALB) tripping, 17:57;
ALB bench minor, 20:00;
LAK bench minor, 20:00.
GOALS (by period)
ALB: 1-0-1:2
LAK: 0-0-1:1
SHOTS ON GOAL (by period)
ALB: 15-8-14:37
LAK: 11-8-13:32
POWER PLAY:
ALB: 1-8
LAK: 1-5
GOALTENDERS
ALB Aaron Sorochan (W, 1-1, 31 shots, 31 saves, 0 GA, 59:49)
ALB Empty net (1 shot, 1 GA, 0:11)
LAK Chris Whitley (L, 0-1, 37 shots, 35 saves, 4 GA, 60:00)
PLAYERS OF THE GAME:
ALB: Aaron Sorochan
LAK: Chris Whitley
REFEREE: Sean Reade
LINESMEN: Trevor Gordon, Matt Daub
ATTENDANCE: 2,746
SCHEDULE & RESULTS (All times Eastern)
Pool A
1. Alberta
4. UNB
6. Lakehead
Pool B
2. Saint Marys
3. Western Ontario
5. McGill
Thursday, March 26
Pool B #1: Saint Marys 4, McGill 1
Pool A #1: UNB 6, Alberta 3
Friday, March 27
Pool B #2: McGill 4, Western 3
Pool A #2: Alberta 2, Lakehead 1
Saturday, March 28
14:00 Pool B #3: No. 3 Western vs. No. 2 Saint Marys (Rogers Sportsnet / SSN Canada webcast)
19:00 Pool A #3: No. 6 Lakehead vs. No. 4 UNB (Rogers Sportsnet / SSN Canada webcast)
Sunday, March 29
14:00 Final (Rogers Sportsnet / SSN Canada webcast)
- CIS -
For more information please contact:
Michel Blanger
Communications manager
Canadian Interuniversity Sport
Ph: (613) 562-5670 ext. 25
Cell: (613) 447-6334
belanger@universitysport.ca
www.universitysport.ca