2005 National U18 Club Championship

WEST 4 PACIFIC 3

Round Robin
April 18, 2005
Guertin Arena
Gatineau, QC

In the opening game of the 2005 Telus Cup, the Saskatoon Contacts came out skating and applied early pressure for the first half of the period, outshooting Team Pacific 9-2.  At 13:43, the Contacts leading scorer Cody Danberg broke in alone, but was stopped by goaltender Keenan Boomer.  The contacts received the first  powerplay of the game and managed four shots on net before having a goal disallowed for being put behind Boomer with a hand.  Shortly after the powerplay expired, a turnover by the Edmonton SSAC defense led to a goal by Scott Brownlee on a rebound.  SSAC replied at 6:20, as Adam Ross took a lead pass from Cam Ritchie at centre and drove to the net and beat Travis Yonkman farside to even the score at 1-1.  SSAC added a late powerplay goal with 29.1 seconds left by Jesse Craig which sent Team Pacific to the dressing room with a 2-1 lead.

Early pressure again from team West forced Boomer to be sharp at the start of the second period.  During end to end action, a big save by Yonkman followed immediately by a shot going of Boomer’s mask and the post.  With SSAC’s Fedun in the box for crosschecking, Bortis found himself in alone, and again was denied by Boomer.  The game continued to open up as the teams traded chances.  Bortis skated in alone again and sent it just wide of the top corner, which led to Nick Kalnicki’s chance in front, where he was only able to draw a penalty.  With a second and thrid effort, Ross banged home his second of the afternoon, at 5:21, on a rebound to give SSAC a 3-1 lead.  The Contacts pulled within one when Russell Goodman deposited a one-timer at 1:56, sending the teams into the second intermission with SSAC ahead 3-2.

After some sustained pressure from the drop of the puck, the Contacts’ Riley Clark beat Boomer to the top corner three minutes into the third period to even the score a 3-3.  The Contacts continued their strong play after the second intermission and carried the play for the first half of the third period, leading to Danberg’s go-ahead goal with eight minutes left to play.  With the one goal lead, the Contacts shifted into a more defensive posture and held SSAC to five shots in the last five minutes, and a 4-3 win.  Players of the game, for SSAC; Adam Ross (2 goals) and for the Saskatoon Contacts; Patrick Cey (1 assist).