SHAWINIGAN, Que. — Michael Houser is human, after all.
The Shawinigan Cataractes found success against the Ontario Hockey League’s Most Outstanding Player using the game plan nearly everyone expected. The Cats are known to create offence through their defence and the point shot led to three of their six goals in a 6-2 win over the London Knights.
Brandon Gormley, who lost all three games as a member of the Moncton Wildcats in the 2010 MasterCard Memorial Cup, won his first game in his fifth attempt in this tournament by scoring twice and adding one assist in the victory.
“I’m proud of the boys for the way we battled,” he said. “I think we still have a lot to prove here too. It’s a great start, but with that being said, it’s one win and it takes more than one win in this tournament.”
The Cataractes won their first game since Apr. 13, a 7-2 victory over Chicoutimi in Game 5 of the second round series, which Chicoutimi would win in seven games.
They started the same way they did in the tournament-opener on Friday against Edmonton with a lot of energy and a strong forecheck. London struck first on a tipped shot by fourth-line forward Josh Anderson just past the midway point of the opening frame.
The Cataractes remained unfazed and scored the equalizer more than five minutes later on a Gormley point shot that was tipped in by captain Michael Bournival. The goal came 13 seconds after the Knights killed off a full two-minute, five-on-three. Brett Cook and Kevin Raine, the Knights’ third defensive pairing, were unable to adjust to playing forward after jumping back in the play.
“It’s tough to not pay for that,” Knights captain Jarred Tinordi said of the long penalty kill.
Gormley, who later estimated he had at least three to four of his shots blocked on the power-play, held the puck at the blue line and shot it through a Knights’ player’s legs.
“I don’t really practice shooting through guys legs all the time, but trying to get around that guy and find the lane,” he said. “It’s not easy. They did a great job tonight blocking shots.”
Houser was under siege throughout the game and made 27 saves on 32 shots. Veteran forward Austin Watson believed it had less to do with the amount of shots than the quality, something his team allowed far too many.
“You can’t give up 15, 20 grade A chances and expect House to stop them all,” Watson said. “He’s been great for us all year, but at some point we have to help him out a little bit.”
The Cataractes were also able to find space in front of Houser’s net. The Knights were uncharacteristically unable to clear the crease and let their goaltender see the puck. Shawinigan’s game plan revolved around traffic in front, and it didn’t discriminate.
Loik Poudrier scored his team’s third goal while shorthanded in the second period, using a two-on-two situation to cut to the middle of the slot and fire back across his body into the top corner. It was London’s third shorthanded goal allowed in two tournament games. They allowed just four in the playoffs.
Early in the third period with the Knights trailing 3-2, Jared Knight ripped a shot short side that hit where the post and cross bar come together. Pierre-Olivier Morin carried the puck back up ice and found the short side top corner to give his team a 4-2 lead.
The Knights thought to have scored a minute and 20 seconds later. The puck, however, hit the back netting above the glass and was called off immediately.
“I didn’t see the tape yet, I don’t know if it hit the net,” Knights head coach and general manager Mark Hunter said.
Gormley added another power-play goal for insurance midway through the final frame.
Gabriel Girard played his first game of the tournament and stopped 24 of 26 shots he faced for the win. It was his first game since being pulled after allowing six goals on 30 shots in Game 1 against Chicoutimi on Apr. 6.
Asked if this win silenced their critics, Shawinigan head coach Eric Veilleux responded by saying: “There’s four teams in this tournament. I don’t think there’s one team that came here to visit the town or the city, and we’re from here so we know everything about this city. I know there’s four teams wanting to win that cup and that’s how we prepared for it.”
With the win, the Cataractes improved their tournament record to 1-1, while the Knights dropped to the same record. The Edmonton Oil Kings (1-0) will face the defending MasterCard Memorial Cup champion Saint John Sea Dogs, the tournament’s only winless team, on Monday.
