|
CJHL Hockey
Grads outlast Rangers,
win high-scoring affair in a shootout
By
Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online
The Cumberland Grads downed the Gloucester Rangers in a highly entertaining, high-scoring
affair on Monday that saw them come back from a 4-0 second period deficit to win
in a shootout. After
taking a 2-0 lead on a pair of Dylan Anderson goals in the first period, the Rangers
added a pair of power play goals early in the second to increase their lead to
4-0 and chase Grads goalie Adam Mohr to the bench. With
call-up Drew Lawson between the pipes, Cumberland managed to score three unanswered
goals to narrow the deficit to 4-3. The
momentum had clearly shifted to the Grads side after Daniel Goyette's capped the
three goal out burst with his 15th goal of the season, but it wouldn't last long
as Stephen Blunden scored 19 seconds later to give the Rangers a two goal lead
heading into the third period. Gloucester's
Samuel Coyne scored early in the third to solidify the Rangers lead, but a Stephen
Blunden tripping penalty would give the Grads a golden opportunity to get back
in the game. The
Rangers managed to keep Cumberland at bay for the majority of the power play,
but a brutal giveaway deep in their own end allowed the Grads to score with one
second left in the man advantage. The
goal sparked another offensive outburst by the Grads who scored two more goals
in one minute and 39 seconds to tie the game at 6-6. The
Grads comeback appeared to go for naught, however, when Anderson scored his third
of the game to give the Rangers a one goal lead with 4:12 left in the contest. Down
but not out, the Grads were able to tie the game once again on Goyette's second
of the afternoon less than a minute later. After
neither team scored in overtime, the game had to be decided in a shootout. Mike
Borkowski got things started for the Grads with a dipsy-doodle move that beat
Rangers' goalie Dylan Ellis low stick side. The
focus then shifted to Lawson who was playing in his first ever shootout in his
first ever CJHL game. The young goalie made a great pad save on Michael Webley
and then stoned Zach Lokey and the red hot Dylan Anderson to pick up his first
win in a Cumberland Grads uniform. It
was a character win for the Grads who were coming in off a 5-2 loss to the Cornwall
Colts on Sunday. It was also a big game offensively for the Grads who have been
struggling to score goals against quality opponents since trading their top two
scorers in January. They'll
be looking to build on their emerging offensive prowess when they take on the
Ottawa Jr. Senators at the Jim Durrell Complex on Wednesday. The
Grads will return home to the friendly confines of the Navan Arena next Sunday
for the final instalment of their rivalry against the Rangers. Game time is 3
p.m. (Posted
3:30 a.m., Feb.16) Return
to top Return
to Front Page | 
