CJHL Hockey
Grads lose fourth straight game, fall 5-3 to Kemptville 73s
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online

Cumberland Grads forward Jason McCarthy crashes the net during first period action against the Kemptville 73s on Tuesday. Fred Sherwin/Photo

The Cumberland Grads are heading in the wrong direction fast after dropping their fourth straight game Tuesday night, a 5-3 loss to the Kemptville 73s who just happen to be the lowest scoring team in the league..

The Grads got off to an excellent start against Kemptville, jumping out to a
2-0 lead by the eight minute mark of the first period.

A hustling Mitch Gallant factored in both plays. He scored the first goal after winning the puck down low and then walked out from the side boards before wristing a shot into the top corner. His work behind the net along with Fabian Walsh combined to set up the second goal.

After gaining control of the puck along the boards, Walsh passed it to Gallant on a give-and-go that ended with Walsh one-timing a shot past Kemptville goalie Ben Curley.

Things looked to be going the Grads' way until midway through the first period when Kemptville scored a pair of goals less than three minutes apart Both goals were scored on shots that Grads' backup goalie Adam Mohr would dearly love to have back.

Kempville's third goal was scored off a wraparound attempt. Mohr stopped the initial shot, but was unable to get back into position to stop the rebound.

The killer blow came while Kemptville was enjoying the man advantage with 4:10 left in the second period. Nick Duhn's shot from the slot somehow squeked under the blade of Mohr's goalie stick and through his legs.

Rob Caparelli narrowed Kemptville's lead to just a goal when he poked home a rebound late in the period and as the teams skated off the ice for the second intermission the Grad's were still very much in the game.

But not even a decision to replace Mohr in net with Adam Laderoute could provide the Grads with the spark they needed to get the tying goal. Instead, Kemptville scored an insurance marker to put the game out of reach.

Gallant had a golden opportunity to bring the Grads back to with a goal, but his breakaway shot sailed over the crossbar.

All in all, it was a pretty ugly game for a team that is in an obvious funk and mustr now face the Pembroke Lumber Kings in Pembroke on Friday night. The Lumber Kings have the best record in the CJHL and are currently enjoying a six game winning streak.

Should they lose, the Grads could find themselves in sixth place by the time they return to the Navan Arena to play the Hawkesbury Hawks on Sunday. Game time is 3 p.m.

Kemptville 73s goalie Ben Curley blocks a shot from Cumberland Grads forward Mark Borkowski during second period action on Tuesday. Fred Sherwin/Photo

(Posted 6:30 p.m., Nov. 5)

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