MISSISSAUGA, Ontario- The goaltender of the Western League Playoff Champions the Kootenay Ice and his counterpart for the host team the Mississauga St. Michaels Majors engaged in a spirited net minder’s duel tonight in action on day three of the MasterCard Memorial Cup. The Majors eked out a 2-1 win behind winning goal tender R. J. Anderson who blocked 32 of 33 shots on goal and centre Rob Flick who scored the winning goal and assisted on the other strike. Nathan Lieuwen took the tough luck loss in goal for the Ice while facing 34 shots on net. The game played at the Hershey Centre drew another full house of 5,429.
The Memorial Cup is emblematic of junior hockey supremacy in the Canadian Hockey League which is made up of the top three junior leagues in Canada. The playoff champions from the Quebec Major Junior League the Saint John Sea Dogs, the Ontario Hockey League Owen Sound Attack and the Western Hockey League Kootenay Ice are squaring off with the host team Mississauga in the 93rd edition of the Memorial Cup. The teams play an initial round robin with the first one winner receiving a bye into the finals while the second and third place teams then meet for the other finals’ slot.
In this contest the two teams traded first period goals, went scoreless in period two and for more than half of the last regulation period until a goal by Flick at 11:51 of the period beat Lieuwen to claim the win. Flick’s goal drew assists from his two line mates Devante Smith-Pelley and Riley Brace. The Majors are now 1-1 in Cup action.
Earlier in tonight’s match Kootenay struck first using a power play opportunity to lead 1-0 at 7:55 of the opening stanza. Washington Capitals’ prospect Cody Eakin combined with defenseman Joey Leach and winger Drew Czerwonka to score against Anderson who made his second straight start for the Majors. The Ice’ lead however short was lived lasting slightly less than a minute and a half as Maxim Kitsyn answered with a score at 9:18. Kitsyn’s goal came off set ups by centre Flick and defenseman Marc Cantin.
The scoreless second period saw the Ice outshoot the Majors 14 to 9 but neither goalie yielded despite some nice end to end action. Nathan Lieuwen and his counterpart Anderson both continued to withstand heavy pressure just like they saw in period one.
The Majors power play failed to click on six power play advantages unable to best Lieuwen and his penalty kill unit all evening. The Ice went one for three on their power play opportunities.
Kootenay 0-2 is now the only team without a win in first round of action. While still not eliminated the Ice have a high hill to climb to qualify for the finals. Only once in Cup history has a team came back to win the Cup after a 0-2 start. That history was made last year as the Windsor Spitfires came back from a 0-2 deficit to win the Cup.
The two tournament co leaders the Sea Dogs (1-0) and the Attack (1-0) meet tomorrow night in a much anticipated clash at 7:00 PM at the Hershey Centre.
Contact the author at Phil.Brand@prohockeynews.com
