McGill dream ends with gutsy effort vs No1-Alberta Mar 25, 06 Ice Hockey (M)

By Dan Carle, CP

EDMONTON (CIS) - Alberta was patient for two periods before a surgeon-like strike for three goals in the third gave the team a 5-1 win over upstart McGill and another home berth in the University Cup final.

"This isn't the end of our season," said Alberta first-year coach Eric Thurston as Scott Henkelman finished with two goals Saturday for the defending CIS men's hockey champions.

TELUS University Cup web site: www.cisport.ca/e/championships/m_hockey/2006

Dylan Stanley, Tim Krymusa and Richard Hamula also scored for Alberta, the No. 1 seed at the six-team tournament. Hamula and Henkelman both finished with three points.

"We were ready to go and it really showed tonight," said Thurston.

Alberta, seeking its 12th University Cup title, are looking to become the first team in CIS history to win back-to-back titles at home.

The 2-0 Golden Bears advance to Sunday's Rexall Place final (9 p.m. ET, TSN tape delayed one hour) against Lakehead, which earlier beat Saskatchewan 4-2 to earn its first appearance in the national championship game.

"It's one game for the national championship," said Stanley. "I don't think you could ask for anything more."

Henkelman gave Alberta a 1-0 lead five minutes into the game after twice circling the net before scoring on Mathieu Poitras. Calgary native Ken Davis replied for the Redmen with a power-play goal at 13:14 as the first period ended 1-1.

"They have got a lot of skill, a lot of depth, a lot of size," said Davis, who played with or against most of Alberta's lineup. "I knew it would be a tough go."

The Redmen took three straight penalties in the second period and Stanley scored a power play goal after Poitras had made two stellar stops.

Alberta struck for a pair of goals in a 36-second span of the third period after Krymusa scored on a power play and player-of-the-game Hamula beat Poitras with a wrist shot from the faceoff circle.

Henkelman scored Alberta's fifth goal on a breakaway with 1:19 left in regulation.

"We were lucky to get some bounces in the third period," said Henkelman.

McGill forward Benoit Martin was cut by a high stick without a penalty early in the second period as stickwork was a problem throughout the game. The 130-year-old Redmen (1-1) made their first appearance at the University Cup.

"Special teams hurt us," said Redmen coach Martin Raymond. "We usually come back."

The Golden Bears were without captain Gavin McLeod, who suffered a lower body injury, believed to be a charleyhorse, during Friday's 8-2 win over Wilfird Laurier.

Alberta outshot McGill 41-22.

NOTES: McGill centre Mathieu Leclerc crawled off the ice after dislocating his left shoulder in the first period but returned for the second ... The Redmen had about 60 flag-waving fans fans behind their bench ... Edmonton Oilers goalie coach Pete Peeters was at the game.

SCORING SUMMARY

Alberta 5, McGill 1

FIRST PERIOD

SCORING:

1. ALB Scott Henkelman (1) (R. Hamula, D. Stanley), 5:33
2. McG Ken Davis (1) (E. L'Italien, K. Morin), 14:14 PP

PENALTIES:

D. Orr (McG) hooking, 3:11; C. Rich (ALB) hooking, 7:25; D. Urquhart (McG) tripping, 9:52; C. Ovington (ALB) roughing, 12:30.

SECOND PERIOD

SCORING:

3. ALB Dylan Stanley (2) (B. Thomson, J. Kehler), 6:27 PP

PENALTIES:

B. Kilgour (ALB) kneeing, 0:44; P. Johnson (ALB) holding the stick, 3:07; K. Davis (McG) roughing, 4:21; D. Urquhart (McG) cross-checking, 5:24; K. Morin (McG) roughing, 7:25; J. Kehler (ALB) hooking, 8:14; J. Kehler (ALB) hooking, 15:56; D. Urquhart (McG) interference, 18:08.

THIRD PERIOD

SCORING:

4. ALB Tim Krymusa (1) (B. Kilgour, B. Tutschek), 4:45 PP
5. ALB Richard Hamula (1) (S. Henkelman, H. Anderson), 5:21
6. ALB Scott Henkelman (2) (R. Hamula, J. Wallin), 18:41

PENALTIES:

C. Churchill-Smith (McG) holding, 2:46; R. Stempfle (ALB) holding, 5:58.

POWER PLAY:
ALB: 2/7
McG: 1/7

SHOTS ON GOAL (by period)
ALB: 18-12-11:41
McG: 7-7-8:22

GOALTENDERS
ALB - Aaron Sorochan (W, 22 shots, 21 saves, 60:00)
McG - Mathieu Poitras (L, 41 shots, 36 saves, 60:00)

ELITE SPORTSWEAR PLAYERS OF THE GAME:
ALB: Richard Hamula
McG: Ken Davis

REFEREE: Ghislain Hébert

LINESMEN: Graham Heather, Cam McMillan

ATTENDANCE: 3,009

SCHEDULE & RESULTS (All times LOCAL / Mountain Time)

Pre-tournament seeding

1. Alberta Golden Bears
2. Acadia Axemen
3. Lakehead Thunderwolves
4. McGill Redmen
5. Saskatchewan Huskies
6. Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks

Thursday, March 23
Game 1 (Clare Drake Arena): Saskatchewan 5, Acadia 1
Game 2 (Clare Drake Arena): McGill 4, Wilfrid Laurier 3 (2OT)

Friday, March 24
Game 3 (Clare Drake Arena): Lakehead 4, Acadia 3
Game 4 (Clare Drake Arena): Alberta 8, Wilfrid Laurier 2

Saturday March 25
Game 5 (Clare Drake Arena): Lakehead 4, Saskatchewan 2
Game 6 (Clare Drake Arena): Alberta 5, McGill 1

Sunday March 26
19:00 Championship final (Rexall Place): Lakehead (4) vs. Alberta (1) (TSN / following NHL broadcast)

- CIS -

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Hockey Redmen lose to Alberta Mar 26, 06 Ice Hockey (M)

By Earl Zukerman

EDMONTON – It was close but no cigar for the upstart McGill Redmen at the CIS men’s hockey championship tournament, Saturday. The No. 1-ranked Alberta Golden Bears scored twice in less than a minute early in the third period en route to a 5-1 win over fourth-seeded McGill.

Alberta, seeking its 12th University Cup title, is looking to become the first team in CIS history to win back-to-back titles at home. The Bears improved to 105-3-3 on home ice at Clare Drake Arena in league and playoff action over the last six seasons. They advanced to Sunday night’s final (9 p.m., TSN, RDS) against Lakehead, which defeated Saskatchewan 4-2 earlier in the day.

The Redmen, who split their two games at the CIS tourney, were eliminated from gold medal contention despite a gritty performance in their first-ever appearance at the Nationals, putting an end to their magical season in which they posted a school record for wins, finishing at 30-8-3 overall.

“It is difficult to be positive after losing such an emotional game,” said McGill head coach Martin Raymond. “but I’m very proud of the guys They worked very hard and we accomplished something very special this season.”

The game was tied 1-1 after one period and Alberta led 2-1 after two after Dylan Stanley’s power play goal at 6:27. But the Bears aroused from their den in the final period, with Tim Krymusa connecting on the power play at 4:45 and Hamula putting the game out of reach just 36 seconds later.

Scott Henkelman, a senior from Sherwood Park, Alta., scored the game’s first and last goals to go along with an assist for the Bears, who outshot McGill 41-22. Junior Richard Hamula of Edmonton added a goal and two assists to earn player-of-the-game honours for Alberta.

Ken Davis, a senior from Calgary, tallied the lone Redmen marker, on the power play to even the score at 1-1 in the first period. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound forward was chosen player of the game for McGill.

"They have got a lot of skill, a lot of depth, a lot of size," said Davis, who played with or against most of Alberta's lineup. "I knew it would be a tough go."

“What we achieved this season with a rookie-filled line-up (10 freshmen) speaks volumes for our heart and work ethic," added Davis, one of three graduating seniors on the Redmen who is hoping to return if he gains acceptance in law school. "It was a great accomplishment for us and a huge step for our hockey program.”

Alberta went 2-for-7 on the power play while McGill was 1-for-7.

"Special teams hurt us," said Raymond. "We usually come back in the third period."

Sophomore goaltender Mathieu Poitras of Gatineau, Que., kept the Redmen in contention for most of the game and was credited with 36 saves as Alberta outshot McGill 41-22. The OUA league MVP finished with a 22-6-2 record overall, including a 5-3-0 mark in post-season play.

Rookie Aaron Sorochan made 21 saves for the Bears and improved to 25-6-1 overall.

GAME NOTES: Clare Drake, the legendary former coach who guided Alberta to 697 career wins, made his way to the McGill coaches room after the game to congratulate Raymond on his team’s performance and work ethic…McGill lost centre Mathieu Leclerc early in the first period with a dislocated left shoulder after being checked to the ice during a faceoff… The rangy 6-foot-4, 210-pound junior from Quebec City, crawled to the bench in considerable pain as the play moved up the ice but returned to the game in the second period after the shoulder was popped back into place by team physician Kathryn Sun… Among the many Redmen playing hurt was D Steven Pearce (knee), D Yan Turcotte (torn quadriceps muscle), D Dave Urquhart (sprained ankle), F Guillaume Demers (knee) and F Benoit Martin, who was suffereing from a plethora of injuries all over his body, including a facial cut from an errant stick on a ply that was not called by refereeGhislain Hebert… McGill lineup scratches included sophomore F Teddy Kyres (separated shoulder) and three rookies F Marko Kovacevic, rookie F Daniel Pharand and rookie D Benoit Lessard… After the game, the Redmen gathered around their two fifth-year seniors – captain Pierre-Antoine Paquet and forward Doug Orr for an emotional send-off… They then gave their customary salute to the throng of McGill fans, dressed in red, who made the trek to Edmonton for the game… Two other seniors that could return for a fifth season are Benoit Martin and Ken Davis… Among the former Redmen spotted in the crowd of 3,009 at Clare Drake Arena was current RMC head coach Kelly Nobes, who played at McGill from 1993 to 1997, plus Rheal Guenette (2002-05), Mike Nelson (1978-84), Fraser Gamble (1981-84), Darren Turner (1982-84), Paul Pulver (1987-91), Paul Grech (1987-91), Paul Barber (1981-86), David Huck (1989-94), Scott Giroux (1999-03), Mark Debusschere (2001-05), Ed Bruton (1973-78) and Herb Madill (player: 1971-72; coach:1973-79).