BUFFALOES BOUNCE BACK FROM SLOW START, EARN WIN OVER REPS

SELKIRK, Man. – No one ever said winning a national championship was easy, but the Calgary Buffaloes might be making it a little harder than it has to be.

One day after seeing a third-period lead evaporate in a 4-4 tie with the Notre Dame Hounds, the Buffaloes found themselves in a 2-1 hole after 20 minutes before rebounding to score a 4-2 win over the Hamilton Reps on Tuesday at the 2009 TELUS Cup.

Cody Irving’s goal late in the second period stood up as the game-winner for the Buffaloes (1-0-1), who also got a pair of goals from captain Chris Collins and an insurance goal late in the third from Ryon Moser. Greg Lamoureux contributed to the win with three assists.

The Pacific Region champions found themselves in an early hole, taking four penalties in the opening seven minutes and finding themselves in a 1-0 hole after Francesco Agresta’s point shot beat netminder Sam Brittain.

The Reps (0-2) struck again on special teams very late in the first period, as Michael Holdich converted on a shorthanded breakaway, but that would be the last puck to beat Brittain, who turned aside 31 shots to record the win.