Cougars now tops in the ACAC

The Cougars men’s hockey team came away with a crucial victory over the visiting Concordia Thunder on Friday night, moving into top spot in the ACAC with a 6-4 win.

The Thunder (3-5-1-1) on the year came into the game as the underdog on paper, but played anything like it, pushing the Cougars to the brink, before falling in the game’s final minute.

The Cougars opened up the first period on the offensive, registering four shots games first minute - while the Thunder wouldn’t get their first shot on goal until nearly five minutes in.

Eric Galbraith would open up the scoring for Mount Royal at the 15:10 mark, as he took a sharp bullet pass from Jordon Harrison, cutting up the right side and fired home a seeing eye snap shot past Thunder netminder Richard Gagnon to make it 1-0 Cougars.

Scott Burke would respond for the Thunder, some seven minutes later, wristing a shot from the slot with traffic in front past Cougars goalie Dalyn Flette to even the score at 1-1 heading into the break.

Just 1:36 into the second period, the Thunder would grab their first lead of the game, as Filiph Bystrom’s wrap around attempt from behind the net would squirt loose to the short side, as Ian Hall came blazing in, depositing the puck into a wide open net to make it 2-1.

The Cougars would continue to press throughout the period, but despite their territorial advantage, it was the Thunder who would get back on the board next.

On a Thunder powerplay, Dylan Flette made a huge glove save, robbing Hall off a one-timer feed from the right side. Hall was able to grab his own rebound, and appeared to stick the puck under Flette’s pad in what looked like almost a surefire goal.

With none of the officials actually seeing the puck cross the line, the goal was disallowed, much to the chagrin of the Thunder who were enraged with the decision.

Off the ensuing faceoff, the Thunder would get their retribution, as Andre Herman won a clean draw straight over to Tyler Stevenson who ripped a shot from the left side and in to make it 3-1 Thunder.

With time winding down in the second, it looked like the Thunder would head to the break with a 3-1 lead, but a pair of Cougars goals just 22 seconds apart would put them right back in the thick of things.

With just 1:23 remaining, Brad Haber fired a point shot wide off the left side, that ricocheted off the end boards and in-front as Gagnon tried to poke check the puck, whiffing on it as Jeff Barrett came steaming in to pick up the loose puck and put it past Gagnon - on one the goaltender would certainly like to have back.

Just 22 seconds after that, it would be Jordon Harrison adding his first of the year, as Jessie Tresierra rifled a shot from the deep right point, that Gagnon kicked aside and right onto the stick of Harrison who was there to clean up in the paint to tie the game at 3-3.

Eight minutes into the third period, the Cougars would add their third unanswered, as Jason MacDonald powered home a wrist shot high over the left shoulder of Gagnon, collecting a loose puck on the right boards and firing one on net that eluded Gagnon to make it 4-3 Cougars.

Less than a minute after Macdonald’s second of the season, the Thunder would continue the see-saw affair as Herman would add to his team leading total, scoring his 11th to tie things back up at 4-4.

With the game winding down, Dylan Flette would fire a puck straight down the center of the ice, taking a slight hop over Patrick Turville’s stick and onto the blade of Eric Galbraith who made a pretty toe drag on the fly past the last defender, sending the Cougars in on a 3-0.

Galbraith would freeze Gagnon with some pretty stick work before sliding it over to a wide open Jason MacDonald who would put home his second of the game, to all but seal the deal for the Cougars.

Dylan Flette would make an impressive save in the slot on Herman in the games dying seconds before Brenden Turnbull would add an empty netter to solidify the 6-4 win.

Galbraith, who added a goal and three assists in the victory, describes the game winning goal.

“Flette just made an awesome pass up the middle and it went right over my stick,”
said Galbraith. “Their d-man kind of bobbled it a bit and it came right to me, and I just flicked it around him and came in 3-0. I just thought it was a higher percentage play if I made the pass, and I slid it across to Jason at the last second for the goal. It felt great.”

Richard Gagnon made 32 saves in the loss, while Cougars netminder Dylan Flette made 18 in picking up his fifth win of the season.

The Cougars will need to elevate their game tomorrow if they’ll come to come away with another win. Game time is set for 8:15 pm at Clareview Arena.