Fort Frances Lakers topped by Trenton Golden Hawks
KIRKLAND LAKE, Ont. – Making his first start of the postseason, Trenton Golden Hawks (OJHL) goaltender Jackson McIntosh turned aside all 37 shots he faced to backstop his side to a 3-0 shutout victory over the Fort Frances Lakers (SIJHL) Thursday afternoon in Game 5 of the 2016 Dudley-Hewitt Cup Central Canada Jr. A Championship at the Joe Mavrinac Community Complex.
Trenton got on the board first six and a half minutes into the contest as Brandon Marinelli started a rush up the ice and fired a crisp pass up to Keaton Ratcliffe who proceeded to set-up Kevin Lavoie, and he made no mistake snapping his attempt past Fort Frances starter Brandon Bodnar.
A second Golden Hawks marker came for the Ontario Junior Hockey League champions at 12:56 of the stanza as Jordan DaSilva’s wrist shot from the point that eluded a sprawled Bodnar.
Both clubs tightened up from there as the remainder of the first and all of the middle session was scoreless with the shots being 28-21 in favour of Trenton through 40 minutes.
The Golden Hawks put the game away early in the third as netminder McIntosh fired the puck up the boards that eventually found Ethan Skinner, who sped down the left wing and fired a shot off the shoulder on Bodnar that bounced high and trickled over the goal line at 2:06.
Knowing their season was coming to a close, the Superior International Junior Hockey League champion Lakers pressed to put one past McIntosh, but the Trenton stopper handled all 16 attempts he saw in the period and all 37 in total to post the shutout in his Dudley-Hewitt Cup debut.
Bodnar suffered the season-ending defeat for Fort Frances handling 32 of the 35 pucks fired his way while overage goaltender Pierce Dushenko entered the game with 1:32 to go to finish up as he wrapped up his Jr. A career with two saves on as many shots.
Round robin play at Dudley-Hewitt Cup concludes Thursday evening as the host Kirkland Lake Gold Miners (1-1) (NOJHL) take on the rival Soo Thunderbirds (1-1) (NOJHL) at 7:30 p.m. in a preview of Friday’s semifinal.
Trenton wrapped up round robin play with a 3-0 record and has advanced to the championship game Saturday at 7:30 p.m. vs. either Sault Ste. Marie or Kirkland Lake, who will meet in semifinal action Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Fort Frances finished competition at 0-3.
For more information on the Dudley-Hewitt Cup visit the official CJHL – DHC website at centralcanadianchampionship.com.
All Dudley-Hewitt Cup games are available online at FASTHockey.com.
Game Summary: http://dhewitt.stats.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=2851215
Game sheet attached in PDF
2016 Dudley-Hewitt Cup Schedule/Results
May 3-7 – Kirkland Lake, Ont.
All games at the Joe Mavrinac Community Complex
Competing teams
Kirkland Lake Gold Miners (Host-NOJHL)
Soo Thunderbirds (NOJHL)
Trenton Golden Hawks (OJHL)
Fort Frances Lakers (SIJHL)
Tuesday, May 3
Trenton 4 Soo 2
Kirkland Lake 8 Fort Frances 5
Wednesday, May 4
Soo 6 Fort Frances 5
Trenton 5 Kirkland Lake 1
Thursday, May 5
Trenton 3 Fort Frances 0
Kirkland Lake vs. Soo 7:30 p.m.
Friday, May 6
Semifinal: Soo vs. Kirkland Lake 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 7
Final: Soo or Kirkland Lake (Semifinal Winner) vs. Trenton (1st Round Robin) 7:30 p.m.
DHC winner advances to the RBC Cup Canadian Jr. A Championship May 14-22 @ Lloydminster, Alta.
