North York holds off UCC to clinch first in Shanahan Division
The North York Rangers concluded Day 3 of the OHL Cup presented by FPS Payment with a hard-fought 5-4 victory over the Upper Canada Cyclones, securing the top spot in the fiercely competitive Shanahan Division with a perfect 4-0 record.
The Rangers got off to a hot start with an early 2-0 lead courtesy of goals from Brady Smith (7) and Owen Barfoot (1), but the Cyclones refused to let the Rangers off easy as Maximus Crete (2) narrowed the gap with his second goal of the tournament. However, the Rangers remained focused, with Tyler Challenger’s (4) response extending their lead to 3-1. The Cyclones continued to fight back, with Jay-Zeus Mbarushimana (3) finding the back of the net before the Rangers’ Smith (8) struck again, keeping North York ahead. Mbarushimana (3) and Crete (3) displayed resilience, each scoring once more to tie the game late in the third period. With the goaltender pulled, Barfoot (2) sealed the deal with an empty-netter, clinching a hard-fought victory for the Rangers.
Mbarushimana’s four-point offensive effort earned him Player of the Game honours for the Cyclones, while Smith, who leads the OHL Cup with eight goals, took home the achievement for the Rangers.
The Rangers prepare for Thursday’s Quarter-Final action as they take on the Toronto Marlboros at 10:30am. The wild card entry Cyclones conclude their OHL Cup tournament, playing to a record of 2-2 led by Maximus Crete (3-4-7) and Jack Yates (4-3-7) offensively.
Zephyr Player of the Game
Rangers – Brady Smith (F) – 2G
Cyclones – Jay-Zeus Mbarushimana (F) – 2G, 2A