Spitfires earn berth in 2010 MasterCard Memorial Cup Final with 6-2 win over Hitmen
BRANDON, Monday, May 17, 2010 – Taylor Hall scored two goals and added two assists to lead the Windsor Spitfires to a convincing 6-2 win over the Calgary Hitmen while also helping them clinch a berth in the MasterCard Memorial Cup championship game on Sunday.
r
Toronto Maple Leafs draft pick Dale Mitchell gave the Spitfires the lead at 2:38 of the first frame. He directed a wrist-shot behind a screened Martin Jones. Just over one minute later, Taylor Hall registered his third goal of the 2010 MasterCard Memorial Cup with a hard slap-shot from the top of the face-off circle.
r
In the second period, Justin Shugg put Windsor up by three at 8:15 and the Spitfires seemed to be rolling towards another big win before Jimmy Bubnick recorded a marker at 14:56. Just over three minutes later, it was Bubnick again taking it to goaltender Philipp Grubauer. He made a nifty move, cut inside and flicked a wrist-shot between the goaltender’s pads.
r
Hall re-gave the Spitfires a two-goal lead twelve seconds into the third period by intercepting a soft pass in Calgary’s zone and beat Jones five-hole on a breakaway.
r
Kenny Ryan and Adam Wallace added goals late in the third period to seal the win.
r
Philipp Grubauer made 25 saves in the win.
r
Taylor Hall earned first star honours while Jimmy Bubnick and Dale Mitchell were also recognized as second and third stars respectively.
r
Game five of the 2010 MasterCard Memorial Cup hits the airwaves of Rogers Sportsnet and RDS tomorrow at 7 pm (CDT) as the Moncton Wildcats battle the Windsor Spitfires. The game can also be seen live on Sportsnet.ca and on the NHL Network in the U.S.
Photo by Aaron Bell/CHL Images
