ECJLL Best of 5 Finals: Game 1

In a back and forth 1st period, Hurricanes’ Andrew MacNeil beat Pat Keats off the fast-break feed from Andre Laleune to open the scoring just 26 seconds into the game. Northwest would respond just minutes later as Alex Burk and Justin Belanger paced the scoring attack for the Rebels to regain the lead. Hurricanes’ Andrew Leonard would score at the final buzzer as both teams went into the first intermission tied at 3. The 2nd period was all Southwest as the Hurricanes fired home 4 unanswered goals, including two powerplay markers to jump ahead 7-3. Not one to give up without a fight, Northwest began to mount a comeback early in the 3rd with consecutive goals from Paddy Quinn and Belanger to cut the deficit down to two. In the end, it just too little too late as Laleune buried home his second and third goals of the night on the powerplay as Southwest would hold on to win Game 1, 9-6.

Laleune led all scorers on the night with 5 points (3G, 2A) and shutdown-defenders Tanner Manson and Stu McIlhone were key cogs for the Hurricanes on D. Goaltender Jake Nordin was on his game from the get-go, making a number of key saves late in the 3rd to preserve the lead for the ‘Canes. Pat Keats took the loss in goal for the Rebels. Both teams return to action at the Sprydome Thursday night for Game 2 of the best-of-five series. Game time is 7:30.