Team Manitoba 6 - Team BC 5 OT
Braden Cuthbert scored the game winner at 2:32 of overtime to cap off an extraordinary comeback by Team Manitoba over Team BC on night 2 of the inaugural Western Canada U-16 Challenge Cup.
Team BC led 2-1 after one period of play on goals from Jan Erricson and Evan Richardson’s marker on the power play. Brandon Leipsic continued his hot streak by scoring Manitoba’s loan marker of the 1st period.
The Second period saw Team BC pull away in the first half of the period to grab a 5-1 lead. Matt Bissett scored at 5:09 of the period and Evan Richardson scored his second of the night 22 seconds later as BC looked as though they were on their way to victory. After Mitch Guiel Scored near the 7 minute mark of period number two, it looked as though BC would surely have enough to come away with a win.
After Manitoba coach Billy Keane called a time out, Team Manitoba came out looking like a different team. The Momentum surely was in Manitoba’s favour after they scored 3 goals in 3 minutes to get within one goal after two periods. Manitoba’s charge of three goals came off the sticks of Sutton Olson, Brett Stovin and Jordyn Boyd.
Team Manitoba’s momentum carried over into the third as Ryan Pulock scored 4 minutes into the third period to complete the comeback and tie the game at 5. BC started to regain some of their first period play and had Manitoba on their heels in the dying minutes but Brenden Fieblkorn shut the door in relief of Manitoba starter Chris Driedger to send the game to Overtime.
It seemed it was only inevitable that Manitoba would complete the comeback in Overtime, and at 2:32 of the extra frame, Braden Cuthbert buried a rebound past Nicholas Renyard and Manitoba won 6-5.
Reid Gow from Manitoba and Morgan Zulinick from BC were awarded player of the game. Manitoba takes on Team Alberta tomorrow at 3:00pm in a possible gold medal preview, while BC takes on Saskatchewan at noon.
Team Alberta 3 - Team Saskatchewan 2
Team Saskatchewan fired 32 shots at Devin Fordyce, but it wasn’t enough as Team Alberta squeaked by Saskatchewan 3-2 Friday night at the Blackfalds Multiplex to keep their record perfect at 2-0.
Troy Bourke scored early into the 1st frame when he connected on passes from Matt Dumba and Branden Troock.
Team Saskatchewan tied the game up at one when Defenseman Eric Roy scored on the power play 3:43 into period number two.
The two teams looked like they were on their way to overtime for the second time on Friday night. However, the deadlock was broken when Jayden Hart received a great pass from Blake Orban and came in on Saskatchewan goalie Dawson Macauley and gave Alberta the 2-1 lead. Alberta forward Peter Queenville scored at 17:10 of the third period to give Alberta a two goal advantage.
A late marker by Saskatchewan forward Jaimen Yakubowski wasn’t enough, as Alberta held on for the 3-2 win.
Alberta takes on Manitoba at 3:00pm Saturday afternoon in a possible gold medal preview, while Saskatchewan will take on BC at noon.
Goaltender Devon Fordyce was Alberta’s player of the game, and Saskatchewan’s Derrick Pouliot took home player of the game honors as well.