Series tied at 1-1

The Mount Royal Men’s hockey team opened their ACAC finals matchup against the SAIT Trojans this weekend, and split a pair of games with the regular season leaders to head into the final weekend with the series at 1-1. The finals opened with a 5-2 Trojans win on Friday but the Cougars were able to get one back at the Flames Community Arenas with a 4-2 win.

The Cougars entered SAIT Arena on Friday coming off a 3-1 series win against the Augustana Vikings in their semi-final matchup. The Trojans swept the Concordia Thunder in the other semi-final series. The last time these two teams met was in the final game of the regular season, which was marred with a shocking amount of penalties.

This time around the stakes were much higher, and many were expecting the bad blood to spill over into the championship finals. While game one was a hard-nosed, rough hockey game, game two was even more fierce, with two ten-minute and one game misconduct.

The Trojans started strong in game one as they scored two straight goals in the first period to take an early 2-0 lead, but the Cougars responded in the second as rookies Kevin Knopp and Brad Goss each converted Jeremy Roberts assists to knot the game at 2-2. The Trojans answered less than a minute after with their third of the game to make it 3-2 heading into the third period.

The Trojans extended their lead after Ryan Hyland ripped a beautiful shot over the shoulder of Cougar netminder Justin Cote to make it 4-2 midway through the third period, and the Trojans added an empty netter to take game one.

Trevor Bailey scored twice for the Trojans, Hyland had a goal and two assists, and Shane Lust finished with a goal and an assist.

The Cougars were at home for game two and were desperate for a win, not wanting to fall into a 2-0 deficit against the ACAC’s top regular season team. They had their best player step up when they needed it as Barry Horman’s four point night helped knot the series at 1-1.

The visitors got off to quick start as Robert Nocera scored 20 seconds in to make it 1-0 Trojans. The Trojans were able to extend their lead at 15:44 of the same period, as Nocera added his second of the game on the powerplay to put the Cougars in a hole early. The home team responded 55 seconds later as Horman scored his first of three on the night, taking a feed from Joe Vetere to pull within one.

Horman went back to work early in the second period, converting on a pass from Jeremy Roberts to tie the game at two apiece. Less than five minutes later Horman capped off his hat trick with a gritty effort to give the Cougars the lead heading into the third period.

Jesse Perrin made it 4-2 Cougars on the powerplay at 7:31 of the third. The Trojans couldn’t muster any more offense after their outburst in the first period, and the series was knotted at 1-1.

Coleton Thielmann was tossed for checking from behind in the first period and Vinnie Muchalla was sent off as the game expired for the Cougars - meanwhile Brad Drobot received a ten minute misconduct for the Trojans.

The two teams will return to SAIT Arena on Friday, March 24th, puck drops at 7:00 p.m.

Game four will take place at Flames Community Arena on Saturday, March 26th at 5:30 p.m.

If necessary, game five will go at SAIT on Sunday, March 27th, at 6:00 p.m.