Cataracts prove too much for Real McCoys
Grand Falls-Windsor takes advantage of short-benched Dundas squad in opener
There are two ways to consider the opening game of the Allan Cup Canadian senior hockey championship Monday evening, a 5-3 Grand Falls-Windsor Cataracts win over the Dundas Real McCoys.
On the one hand, the Cats — defending Herder Memorial Trophy champs — got the win, dominant if you read the shot clock, which said 66-22 for Grand FallsWindsor, although that number is exaggerated.
On the other, the shorthanded Real McCoys — defending Allan Cup champs from the Hamilton, Ont. area, after beating the Clarenville Caribous 3-2 in OT last year — started the game with 13 skaters. The number was reduced to 12 halfway through the second period when Jordan Foreman was lost to injury, and 11 when Dan Lapointe was tossed at 12:36 of the third for checking to the head.
So, if you’re the Cataracts, you’re satisfied with the win, but not exactly jumping for joy.
“We got better as the game went on,” reminded Cats coach Shane Lukinchuk inside the Eastlink Events Centre following the game. “We had a long layoff, and we only had the one skate last night.
“Not being sharp as we wanted, combined with nerves and butterflies, it’s going to be a bit sloppy early.
“But we wanted to generate traffic and pucks to the net, and I thought we did a good job. As the game progressed, we got stronger and as the tournament progresses, we’ll get stronger.”
Luke Gallant, the former St. John’s Fog Devil junior, was the best player on the ice for the team in green and white with two goals and two assists. Cam Fergus, not too shabby himself, had two goals and one helper. Andre Gill had the other goal. Scoring for Dundas were Cam Watson, Shawn Snider and Brad Bonello.
The story of the game was the work of Dundas netminder Mike Mole, a 2004 national collegiate champion with the St. Francis Xavier X-Men.
Mole, a 32-year-old Moncton native, ‘made the cut’ back in ’04, and ensured the Cataracts had their work cut out for them with a superlative effort.
“We knew going in it was going to be a bit of a challenge, and we did a pretty good job for the most part,” said Mole, who was one of six winners out of 68 competitors in the CBC Television series ‘Making The Cut’ way back in 2004.
“I know they had quite a few shots, but the guys did a good job keeping them to the outside. I thought we played well under the circumstances, given the fact we were shorthanded and we ran into penalty trouble.”
The Cataracts led 2-1 after the first period, and 4-2 after 40 minutes.
To their credit, the Real McCoys appeared quite tired at times, but refused to give in.
“We kept going at them with our depth,” Lukinchuk said. “We’ve got four lines that all play, six defenceman that all play. Come the second and third periods, our legs are going to be fresh.”
As for Gallant, Lukinchuk wasn’t exactly downplaying his star player’s game, but summing it up as another example of been there, done that.
“We’ve gotten these types of games out of him for three years now,” Lukinchuk said. “He’s your consummate pro. He brings a pro approach on the ice, off the ice he’s a pro, and in the room he’s a pro.
“He’s one of those steady guys with a little bit of offensive flair, plays in all situations, logs big minutes. We’re lucky to have him.”
The Cataracts are off today. Wednesday, Grand Falls-Windsor plays South East Prairie Thunder of Steinbach, Man. at 4 p.m.