CHARLOTTETOWN @ MONCTON - FRI. APRIL 29
Final Charlottetown 3 Moncton 2 (19 player Shootout)It was a really enjoyable game to watch and showed what can happen when the players from a team with less talent buy in and play playoff style hockey - keep it close - give themselves a chance to win - and see what happens.
The 19 player shootout was about the most gravy you'll ever see in a game short of sudden death playoff OT.
Kalmikov gave the Wildcats the important lead with a nice 2 on 1 one-timer in the 1st, and it was 1-0 Cats after the 1st.
Patrick Guay was celebrating his 20th birthday and tied it up at 1-1 on the PP at 8:46 of the 2nd on a nice pass across the crease from Brett Budgell who made a quick deke to the BH to send it across. Guay had the open side of the net and all day to tap it in.
Mathis Cloutier put the WC back in front at 14:50 on a PP when he walked out front from behind the net - carried the puck across the top of the crease to the far side and went to the FH around the outstretched Lapenna for a Pete Mahovlich style goal.
It was 2-1 WC after the 2nd - and they were believing.
In the 3rd - Jaxon Bellamy had a huge open ice hit that looked a bit high on Zachary Roy - and it was a bit surprising to see nobody come to Roy's defence the way they do these days every time there's a questionable hit. Bellamy is 6'4" and 205 lbs. and I seem to remember him winning a solid fight earlier this season - and looks like his reputation precedes him. I could be wrong on this - but that's the impression I got.
Xavier Simoneau tied it up 2-2 in the 3rd on the PP on a scramble when two Islanders were left to bang away at a loose puck with Lemieux down. The Ref was in place right behind the net and pointed goal - but I don't know. We often see that sort of play blown dead. They went to a short review and pointed goal.
OT solved nothing - but the Islanders owned the puck and it showed up in the puck possession minutes - but SOG only show 3-1 Islanders in OT despite owning the puck.
The shootout was notable in several ways. I can't remember one going that long before at any level - 19 rounds.
Both teams dressed the full number of players - but the Wildcats players started taking their second shots of the shootout before the Islanders as Thomas Darcy didn't get a turn. I'm not sure what the rules are, but I always thought that you needed to have every player take a turn from your bench aside from goaltenders before somebody could shoot twice at the Junior level outside of international competition.
Edit: It was later revealed that Darcy wasn't on the bench for the 3rd period - hence not shooting in OT.
Some players seemed to just shoot the puck towards the 5-hole nonchalantly - and I didn't buy the claims that there was too much snow on the ice. . .
Xavier Simoneau will go down in history as one of the few players to ever score two goals in one shootout where all players are required to shoot (I think) before anybody takes a 2nd attempt. I could be wrong on that. . .
3 STARS:
1. Simoneau - tied it up in regulation - then 2 in the shootout. Everything he touched turned to gold.
2. Lemieux - stopped 31 in regulation time and 16 more in the shootout against some very high-end shooters.
3. Lapenna - stopped more rubber in the shootout than he did in regulation time. Also led in takeaways for the 2nd time this season.
HM: Lukas Cormier - he's a Wow player who can start a rush in his own end as the last player back - carry it coast to coast - and end the rush in alone on the opposing goalie. Think about it. . .
SOG: MW 18; CI 31. It was 50-37 Islanders including the shootout.
Scoring Chances (Home Plate): MW 10; CI 19 (38-29 including shootout attempts).
PBW: MW 104; CI 81. Both teams wanted this game.
Hits: MW 16; CI 18. It was a very physical game with some big, solid hits - playoff style - and the Refs let them play.
O Zone Puck Possession: MW 8:43; CI 13:17. Owning the puck in OT was a big part of that in the Islanders' favour.
Player Index MW: 198 Mathis Cloutier; 194 Kalmikov.
Player Index CI: 206 Guay; 197 Simoneau.
TOI MW: D Etienne Morin 29:55; F Kalmikov 22:20.
TOI CI: D Cormier 25:58; F Guay 22:56.
Guay also did a good between periods interview - very well spoken and down to earth. I don't know what happens to players and their egos when they reach the NHL and become spoiled brats - and always such a positive to see the kids in Junior represent their teams and leagues well.
+/-: +1 by each of Kalmikov; Barbashev; Cormier; Brabenec and Guay.
SOG: MW 4 Auger; CI 5 Cormier.
Dangerous Chances: MW Loshing 3; CI Simoneau 5.
Faceoffs: MW 14/29 Taibel; CI 15/23 Simoneau (what a huge part of that team he is).
Hits: MW 4 Anthony Hamel; CI 2 x 3 players.
I think Hamel has stood out defensively in every game I've seen him play this season. He wears his heart on his sleeve too - solid.Takeaways: MW 11 Hamel; CI Lapenna 13. Once again, they count it as a takeaway when puck possession is interrupted by an opponent breaking up a passing attempt, so when a player tries to go from one side to the other behind the net and a goalie intercepts - they count it. Even so - I've never seen any goalie other than Lapenna ever lead his team - and now he's done it twice. He had an outstanding game.
