Cam Kean, pictured, had a goal off a point shot during the St. Marys Lincolns’ 4-2 win in Game 1 over the Elmira Sugar Kings on March 29. Photo by Turner Roth
By Spencer Seymour
In the first game of a series fit for the final, the St. Marys Lincolns turned in a near-perfect performance, continuing their roll from the first round of the playoffs into round two in a heavyweight clash of two of the best teams in the Greater Ontario Hockey League (GOHL).
The Lincolns picked up a 4-2 victory over the Elmira Sugar Kings to take a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 of the series took place on March 31 after the Independent’s press time. Head coach Jeff Bradley was thrilled with his team’s performance after more than a week since their last game.
“We executed our gameplan,” Bradley told the Independent. “We know where Elmira is dangerous, and we’re trying to take that away from them, whether it be their power play or getting opportunities off the rush, and I thought we did that very well.”
A back-and-forth first period that Bradley referred to as a “feeling-out process” saw both teams get goals against their previous team, with former Lincoln Ryan Cornfield putting a loose puck into an empty net off a net-front scramble to give the Sugar Kings a 1-0 lead. Before the period was done, however, former Sugar King Jack Clarke tied the game at one apiece with his first goal of the playoffs.
The Lincolns also got a goal from Lincs’ captain Chase MacQueen-Spence, his first non-empty net goal of the post-season, which went down as the eventual game-winning tally.
Bradley, impressed with every member of his lineup, noted the goals by Clarke and MacQueen-Spence provided a big jumpstart to the team’s forward group.
“Jack (Clarke) has been unbelievable,” said Bradley. “Chase (MacQueen-Spence) was excellent. That was a massive game for Chase. He was on for three out of four of our goals, and he had a goal and an assist. It was nice to see both Jack and Chase get rewarded for their efforts. They give us a threat on every line, and in a series like this one, having four lines playing well is really important.”
Cam Kean also buried his second goal of the playoffs in the middle frame on a shot from the point through a maze of bodies that fooled Liam Reid on the glove side.
Oven Voortman extended the Lincolns’ lead to three in the third period, making it two straight games with a goal and three straight with a point for the Thunder Bay product. Ryder Roberson answered for Elmira, cutting the lead back to two, but the Lincolns managed to shut down the Sugar Kings’ offence the rest of the way.
Colby Booth-Housego earned the win in between the pipes, making 44 saves in his victory bid. Heading into Game 2, Booth-Housego has recorded a save percentage of 0.957 in four straight outings, and hasn’t had a save percentage under 0.909 so far this post-season.
When breaking down the team’s thoroughly strong effort, Bradley noted the players’ focus was at the heart of their success all game.
“I was most impressed by their focus. We talked about the importance of every shift and the importance of what you should be doing when you’re not on the ice, and I thought we did a good job of that.
“We have a gameplan that needs to be followed,” Bradley continued. “And if it is, we think we’ll be successful, but the players have to go out and execute that, and you can’t go out there unfocused and not prepared and not thinking. That’s hard to do sometimes against anyone, and the fact that we did it against such a quality opponent, I think that’s the most impressive thing.”
