SAINT JOHN, NB – Mason McTavish scored twice and assisted the Hamilton Bulldogs in a 4-2 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings in the Memorial Cup on Friday.
The Ontario Hockey League champion Bulldogs advanced to the semifinals on Monday with a 1-0-0-2 record and eliminated the Western Hockey League’s Oil Kings (0-2-0-1) from the dispute.
Host St. John Sea Dogs (1-0-1-0) faces undefeated Quebec Junior Hockey League champion Shauinigan Cataractus (2-0-0-0) on Saturday to determine which team will finish first in the round robin system and will win bye at the championship match on Wednesday.
The new Canadian Hockey League points system for the Memorial Cup offers three points for winning the regulation, two points for winning overtime and a point for losing overtime in the preliminary round.
Edmonton won two points from OT’s victory over Sea Dogs on Wednesday, but had to avoid losing in the regulations on Friday to continue playing for the CHL title.
McTavish, the third overall pick in the 2021 NHL draft by Anaheim Ducks, scored the eventual winner of the game in the third period and also added a goal with an empty net for Hamilton.
Avery Hayes scored a goal and an assist, and Ryan Winterton also scored for Hamilton.
Bulldogs defender Arber Jackage made two assists. Goalkeeper Marco Constantini stopped 40 of 42 shots for the victory,
The Bulldogs scored two goals in a strong game in the first period to take a 2-0 lead after two periods, but Jalen Luipen of Edmonton halved the deficit with a short hand goal at 2:03 of the third.
McTavish regained Hamilton’s two-goal lead at 13:26 before Oil Kings winger Jake Nabers equalized Edmonton in one goal again at 17:14.
“We were a bit outplayed there in the third,” McTavish said. “We expected them to have a big boost there. It was their season on the line. We expected it, but it was nice to (score) this one.”
Oil Kings goalkeeper Sebastian Kosa stopped 32 of 35 shots in the loss.
“I thought it was the best match of the tournament for us,” the neighbors said. “I just couldn’t finish early. I’m proud of the boys. We never give up.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on June 24, 2022.
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