GAGNON GETS DOUBLE OT WINNER AS COUGARS STAY UNDEFEATED

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – Jean-Francois Gagnon completed his hat trick 5:59 into the second overtime as the Cougars de Lennoxville took over first place at the 2003 Royal Bank Cup with a 5-4 win over the Humboldt Broncos on Monday afternoon.

Gagnon, named Lennoxville’s Player of the Game, scored 1:48 into a Cougars power play after Humboldt forward Scott Degelman had received a slashing major and a game misconduct.

It’s the second time in three days the Cougars (2-0) have needed double overtime to record the victory – they beat the host Charlottetown Abbies 5-4 in the tournament opener on Saturday night when Mathieu Pelletier scored at 14:08 of the second extra frame.

Pelletier added his second goal of the tournament in the win over the Broncos, while Christian Duquette also scored for Lennoxville. Charles-Erick Gagnon and Charles Veilleux chipped in with two assists each in the win.

Craig Olynick, Jeremy Wray, Orrin Hergott and Keith Reade scored for Humboldt (1-1). Mark Bradshaw, the Broncos’ Player of the Game, finished with three assists, while Olynick and Reade had a goal and a helper each.

B.J. Sklapsky made his first appearance of the tournament in the Humboldt goal and took the loss despite a 46-save performance, while Jason Smith improved to 2-0 between the pipes for Lennoxville.