Thursday, May 20, 2010

Hitmen Down Wheat Kings in MasterCard Memorial Cup Round Robin Finale

Press Release

BRANDON, MB -- The Calgary Hitmen toppled the Brandon Wheat Kings 5-1 in the final round robin game of the 2010 MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament on Wednesday night in Brandon, MB.

With the victory, the WHL Champion Hitmen finish the round robin with a 2-1 record while the host Wheat Kings fall to 1-2. Both teams, however, advance to the tournament semi-final on Friday, with the winner moving on to face the Windsor Spitfires in Sunday’s Championship game.

Missing their top scorer, Brandon Kozun, for a second straight game, the Hitmen relied on a tremendous first period from the line of Jimmy Bubnick, Kris Foucault and Tyler Shattock to carry the offensive load. The trio combined for four goals and 10 points in the opening frame as the Hitmen skated their way to a 5-1 lead after the first period.

“We accomplished what we set out to do, and that’s having a better start,” said Hitmen coach Mike Williamson, whose team will have “home-ice advantage” for the semi-final rematch with the Wheat Kings on Friday.

“We were able to get a lead, and we were a little fortunate around the net,” said Williamson of his team’s start.

Foucault scored twice and set up two more while Jimmy Bubnick picked up a goal and three assists through the first 20 minutes of the contest, while Shattock added a goal and an assist.

Bubnick’s four-point effort gives the 19-year-old Saskatoon, SK, product eight points (3g-5a) for the tournament, putting him atop the scoring race.

“It was a matter of getting some bounces, moving our feet and working hard, and getting the cycle going down low,” said Bubnick on his line’s dominant performance in the first period. “We had a real good period, and we got things going for our team.”

Hitmen netminder Martin Jones, coming off a tough outing in a 6-2 loss versus Windsor on Monday, turned in a very strong performance, kicking aside all but one of the 40 shots he faced in the contest. Jones was particularly solid in the second and third periods, making several dramatic saves to keep the game out of reach for the hosts.

“He was tremendous,” said Bubnick of Jones’ best effort so far at the MasterCard Memorial Cup. “He’s been our stud all year, and how he played tonight is how we need him to play on Friday.”

The Wheat Kings though they had beaten Jones in the second period when a shot squeaked through his pads but was swept off the line at the last second. Video review was needed to determine that the puck had not crossed the line.

Jacob DeSerres turned aside 25 of 30 shots in a losing effort for the Wheat Kings, who have given up 14 goals over their two round robin losses bookending their 4-0 shutout win over the Moncton Wildcats.

“The tale of the tape was the first period, obviously,” said Wheat Kings’ general manager and head coach Kelly McCrimmon, whose team surrendered a combined nine goals in the first periods of their losses to Windsor and Calgary. “We had stretches (in the first period) where we played well, Jones was solid, and we maybe didn’t play well enough defensively to hold them off.”

Hitmen opened the scoring 3:15 into the first when Kris Foucault’s attempt goes through Jacob DeSerres’ pads off a Jimmy Bubnick faceoff win in the Wheat Kings’ zone.

Wheat Kings replied 29 seconds later with Jay Fehr getting his second of the Memorial Cup tournament.

Hitmen make it 2-1 6:26 into the opening period with Foucault getting his second of the game, this time swiping at a rebound and putting it off a sprawling DeSerres from the goal line.

Cody Beach made it 3-1 Hitmen with 6:13 to go in the first period. Rigby Burgart sent a pass across the slot that found its way through traffic. Beach was there for the easy tap in.

Bubnick and Tyler Shattock added goals to make it 5-1 by the 16:50 mark of the first period.

(Nathan also is a writer for Maineiacs Post to Post and the Maine Hockey Journal. He can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

No comments: