2016 TELUS Cup

FIVE-GOAL SECOND PERIOD LEADS LIONS TO TELUS CUP BRONZE

DAVID BRIEN

QUISPAMSIS, N.B. – Bailey Bilney-Morrissette had a goal and two assists in a five-goal second period to lead the Lions du Lac St-Louis to a 6-2 win over the Lloydminster Bobcats on Sunday in the bronze medal game at the 2016 TELUS Cup.

It’s the eighth time in as many trips to Canada’s National Midget Championship that the Lions have won a medal; they now own three gold (1981, 1985, 1992), one silver (1977), and four bronze (1984, 1991, 2011, 2016).

Adam Capannelli and Kyle Havlena had a goal and two assists apiece, and Matthew Pietroniro had one of each for Lac St-Louis, which ran Quebec’s medal streak at six years, and 25 of the last 27.

Jaxan Kaluski had both goals for the Bobcats, who are the second Pacific Region champions in a row to fall in the bronze medal game; the Strathmore Bisons finished fourth in 2015.

Kaluski redirected a point shot from Ryan Schoettler past Lac St-Louis goaltender Sandro Silvestre on a Lloydminster power play at 7:47 of the first period, giving the Bobcats a 1-0 lead. It marked the first time all tournament that the Lions did not score first.

The Quebec Region champions quickly answered, though; Gabriel Fortier streaked down the wing before knocking his own rebound past Lloydminster netminder Austin McGrath at 11:14.

It was all Lac St-Louis in the second period, starting with a Pietroniro goal off a feed from Bilney-Morrissette just 1:53 into the middle frame.

A point shot from Havlena made it through traffic and past McGrath midway through the period, Capannelli went to the backhand for the 4-1 goal at 11:46 and Bilney-Morrissette made it 5-1 less than three minutes after that, chasing McGrath in favour of Dane Dow.

The goaltending change didn’t stop the Lions; Azzaro Tinling beat Dow with the first shot he faced at 15:52, sending Lac St-Louis to the dressing room with a commanding 6-1 lead after 40 minutes.

The Bobcats did their best to mount a comeback in the third period, outshooting Lac St-Louis 19-6, but only Kaluski could beat Silvestre, snapping a quick shot past the Lions goaltender after a won face-off by Chase Wouters.

The third-period outburst helped Lloydminster finish with a 38-32 advantage in shots on goal.