(Posted 11:30 p.m., Jan. 3)
Cumberland Jr. Grads win Major Atom AA title at Bell Capital Cup
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online

The Cumberland Jr. Grads Major Atom 'AA' team became the lone east end representative to win a final at the Bell Capital Cup on the weekend, downing the Ottawa Valley Silver Seven Major Atom 'A' White team 5-2 on Saturday to capture the Major Atom 'AA' championship.

The Major Arom AA division was made up of top flight A-level teams and middle of the pack AA teams like the Jr. Grads who were 8-10-1 in league play heading into the tournament. By comparison the Silver Seven White team is in first place in the ODMHL's Major Atom A division with a record of 16-2-3, and the Gloucester Rangers, who the Jr. Grads defeated in the quarterfinals, are 15-1-2

Despite their lackluster ODMHL record, the Jr. Grads have been incredibly successful in tournament play, winning the previous two tournaments they played in prior to the Bell Capital Cup.

The Jr. Grads kicked off their quest for a Bell Capital Cup with a pair of impressive wins over the Sudbury Bulldogs and the Clarington Toros, winning 5-2 and 7-1 respectively. The only team that stood in the way of a berth in the quarterfinals were the Pittsburgh Aviators, who had also posted a pair of wins over the Bulldogs and the Toros, only not quite as impressively

In the first place showdown between the two unbeaten teams, the Jr. Grads got the upper hand in the second period, scoring a pair of unanswered goals to break a 1-1 tie. They would score two more in the third to win the game handily 5-1.

In the quarterfinal against Gloucester, the Jr. Grads broke a 0-0 tie at the 8:54 mark of the second period on a goal by Roman Cannell. Corben Peters would give the Jr. Grads a two goal cushion at the 7:33 mark of the third period. The goal would end up being the game winner after the Rangers' Michael Armstrong scored to narrow the Jr. Grads lead to 2-1 with 3:03 left in the game. Danny Thibaudeau picked up the win in net for Cumberland.

Noah Weston drew the goaltending assignment in the semi-final against Les Ambassadeurs de Gatineau. Corben Peters' fifth goal of the tournament with four seconds left to go in the second would break, what up until that point, had been a scoreless draw. Peters would add an insurance marker in the third, but it wouldn't be needed as the Jr. Grads won the game 2-0.

With all the finals slated for to be played at Scotiabank Place, the Jr. Grads could hardly wait for the start of their final against the Silver Seven White team on Saturday. The mere thought of playing on the same ice as their NHL heroes had them at heightened level of anticipation.

After giving up a goal early in the first period, the Jr. Grads managed to get their emotions under control and responded with four unanswered markers, including a pair of goals in the opening 30 seconds of the second period, to take a commanding 4-1 lead.

The Silver Seven would get one back later on in the second while on the power play, but Zakary Rodrigue's shorthanded effort less than a minute later would seal the deal for Cumberland.

Corben Peters scored twice more in the game to give himself eight goals in the tournament, one more than the Silver Seven's Shane Spencer. He also had two assists for a total of 10 points, two points more than Roman Cannell who had four goals and four assists in six games.

Jr. Grads' coach Marc Franche says his team has an uncanny ability to play their best in big games.

"They come into these situations with a lot of energy and they're able to channel all that energy into a win," says Franche. "They're money players. They know how to step it up when it matters most."

Franche is hoping their success in tournaments this season will translate into success in the playoffs.

"That's it. That's what we're hoping for. We just have to keep working hard and keep building towards the playoffs," says Franche.

In the only other final involving an east end team on Saturday, the Gloucester Rangers Green team lost 2-1 to the Ottawa Sting in the Minor Atom AA final.

The Cumberland Jr. Grads pose for a team picture after winning the Major Atom AA chamopionship at the Bell Capital Cup on Saturday. Photo supplied

(This story was made possible thanks to the generous support of our local business partners.)

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