Canadiens Head Home Down 0-2 to Wainwright

5-2 final puts Canadiens in must win mode

Game two of the NEAJBHL Championship was yesterday at 5 p.m. down in Wainwright. The Canadiens were looking for a bounce back after an 8-2 loss in game one. A big key for St. Paul going into game two was to avoid penalty trouble.

The first period started off exactly the way the Canadiens had hoped coming into the game. Ryan Rancier found a puck and chipped it past Cade Spencer for the 1-0 lead. Elias Chaulk, who was strong on the back end all period, picked up the assist. St. Paul outshot Wainwright in the period 11-10. They would take a 1-0 lead to the locker room.

“For us we’re working a lot better, smarter. The guys are working better as a unit. You know (the Bisons), they’re a real hardworking team.” Jareh Gray said during the first intermission.

Bisons offense comes alive

In the second, things would take a turn against the Canadiens. The Bisons struck just over a minute in to tie the game. Chandler Klein picked up the goal. There were good chances both ways for the majority of the period. In the late going, Curtis McKinlay potted the go ahead goal for the Bisons. Wainwright headed to the locker room up 2-1 after the second.

The final frame was a tough one for St. Paul fans in attendance.  There had only been six minutes of penalties thrown both ways in the first two periods. Early in the third, Cam Smyl finished a hard check that was deemed a hit from behind. Smyl was tossed from the game, and the Canadiens were assessed a five minute major. The Bisons scored twice of the five minute powerplay putting the Canadiens in a tough 4-1 hole. Halfway through the period, Nick Cuglietta threw a seeing eye shot on net, and it found its past Cade Spencer. The Canadiens cut the lead to 4-2 and swung some momentum in their favour.

Game gets away

Brant Saretsky put the game out of reach with just under eight minutes to go. The Bisons ran into penalty trouble late, as a couple guys tried to seek payback for the Smyl hit. The Bisons held the shot advantage 37-32 at the end of the game.

“This game was for the taking. Let’s not kid ourselves here… We had no emotion out there.” Coach Joe Young said post-game.

For more on Coach Young’s post-game watch here:

5-2 was the final in Wainwright in game two. Game three goes Tuesday night in St. Paul at 8 pm. Lakeland Connect will have you covered with Coach Joe Young on the Pre-Game show, followed by the fan favourite intermission reports. The Post-Game show will wrap things up.