Tiger Alumni Stempfle Captures CIS Men’s Hockey Title
MONCTON, NB – Former Medicine Hat Tigers defenceman Ryan Stempfle, now a fifth year veteran of the Alberta Golden Bears Hockey Program at the University of Alberta, helped the University to capture its 13th CIS Men's Hockey title as the Bears beat the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds 3-2 on Sunday.
For Stempfle, it marks the third CIS Championship since joining the program at the start of the 2003-04 school year. The Saskatoon, SK. native played 39 WHL Regular Season games plus 11 Playoff games for the Tigers during the 2002-03 season before graduating from the WHL.
Meanwhile, Denny Johnston, a former 1st Round WHL Bantam Pick of the Medicine Hat Tigers, played his last game for the UNB Varsity Reds in the loss on Sunday. Johnston, who played for the Tigers from 1997-2001, has played the last five seasons for the Varsity Reds, capturing one CIS Men's Hockey title last year.
(Courtesy of CIS) MONCTON, NB – Ian McDonald of Edmonton scored the game-winner with eight minutes and 27 seconds left in regulation as the second-seeded Alberta Golden Bears edged the defending national champion UNB Varsity Reds 3-2 Sunday night to claim their record 13th CIS men's hockey title in front of 4,712 at the Moncton Coliseum.
Cavendish University Cup website: 2008 CIS Men's Hockey Championship.
The Golden Bears (2-1), who came out of a three-way tie in Pool B to earn a ticket to the gold-medal final, have now captured the University Cup in each of their last three appearances. They were returning to the tournament after a one-year absence following back-to-back championships at home at Edmonton in 2005 and 2006.
Alberta now has a 4-3 all-time record against UNB at the championship, including a 5-4 double-overtime win at Saskatoon in 2000, the only previous time the rivals had met in the title match.
"I'm really proud of these guys. This is an incredible feeling obviously," said Alberta head coach Eric Thurston, who was leading his troops to a second title in three seasons behind the bench.
"UNB is just an incredible team, they've got a great organization. I said to (UNB head coach MacDougall) Gardiner after the game that we need to have a best-of-seven series because university hockey at this level is just great."
The top-seeded and two-time CIS champion V-Reds (2-1), who were crowned a year ago following a 3-2 win in extra time over host Moncton, settle for silver for the fourth time.
It marked the first time the top two seeds met in the championship game since the tournament returned to a six-team, two-pool format in 1997-98.
"If they told me last September that we were going to get 42 shots in the national final and only give up 25, and we'd be tied 2-2 going into the third, which is usually our best period, I would have spent some serious money on that," said MacDougall.
"But that's the way it is the hockey world. Full compliments to our opponents. They found a way and it's usually one thing that makes the difference when you get two great teams fighting for a national championship."
McDonald scored his tournament-leading fourth goal 22 seconds after defenceman David Bowman of St. Catharines, Ont., was sent to the box for interference.
The six-foot-three, 210-pound sophomore was named University Cup MVP he led all scorers on the weekend with six points. He assisted on Tim Krymusa's (Morden, Man.) game-tying marker 2:34 into the middle period.
"It was a case of Johnny-on-the-spot. The puck hit the goalie and bounced right on my stick. I was in the right place at the right time," said McDonald, who buried a rebound on an Eric Hunter (Oakbank, Man.) shot from up close.
"It is extra sweet, coming into this game as the underdog. We knew we had a good team but we knew they did too," McDonald continued. "Both teams played well tonight and the game could have gone either way. It just happened that we got a few bounces go our way."
Brian Woolger of Edmonton also scored for the Bears, who erased a pair of one-goal deficits en route to victory.
Former all-Canadian and CIS rookie of the year Aaron Sorochan, also from Edmonton, was named Alberta player of the game following a spectacular 40-save effort.
UNB out-shot the Bears 42-25 on the night, including a 16-6 margin in the final stanza.
"They (UNB) had some good opportunities. My whole mind-set was keep my eyes on the puck at all times," Sorochan said. "Tonight I was just mentally plugged and it showed with a couple of big saves early for the guys, and they scored for me late."
Justin DaCosta of Mississauga, Ont., and CIS player of the year Rob Hennigar of Jordan, Ont., found the back of the net for the AUS champion V-Reds, who came into the duel riding a 21-game winning streak and sporting a 39-2 overall mark against CIS opponents this season.
Sophomore Michael Ouzas of Hamilton made 20 saves in the loss. The second-team all-Canadian entered the contest with a 5-0 career record at the University Cup dating back to last year, having allowed only four goals in his first five starts at Nationals.
Alberta went 1-of-2 with the man advantage, while UNB was blanked on two opportunities.
The game was tied at 1-1 following an action-packed, hard-hitting opening period.
UNB got on the board first at 4:23 when freshman Kevin Henderson of Toronto fed DaCosta with a perfect pass from behind the net.
Alberta tied it five minutes later on a nice give-and-go between Woolger and sophomore Chad Klassen of Saskatoon, who came out of the corner with the puck.
The V-Reds came close to regaining the lead with just over two minutes remaining before the first intermission but Sorochan made a spectacular blocker save off a one-timer by AUS rookie of the year Hunter Tremblay of Timmins, Ont., who almost converted a nifty pass from Hennigar.
UNB went ahead 2-1 just 34 seconds into the middle stanza when a Hennigar pass destined for Tremblay deflected off an Alberta defenceman and wound up behind Sorochan.
The Bears needed exactly two minutes to retaliate.
McDonald won his battle along the boards and found Krymusa all alone in front.
Sorochan stole the show the rest of the second period, stopping senior Nathan O'Nabigon of Longlac, Ont., on a clear breakaway from centre ice with 14 minutes left and stoning Tremblay on a two-on-one with 5:30 left, during an Alberta power play.
Sorochan came up big again early in the third frame when he juggled a deflected puck away from the open cage, then extended his left pad to pilfer Robert Pearce of Fredericton.
Tremblay came inches away from sending the contest to overtime when he jumped on a turnover and fired a drive off the left post from the high slot with 1:40 left in regulation.
GAME NOTES: Alberta becomes the first team to fly to the University Cup tournament and win since UNB in 1998 at Saskatoon? UNB had been held to two goals only twice all year?
TOURNAMENT HONOURS
Cavendish University Cup MVP: Ian McDonald, Alberta
Tournament All-Stars:
Goaltender: Michael Ouzas
Defense: Harlan Anderson Defense: David Bowman
Forward: Ian McDonald Forward: Rob Hennigar
Forward: Guillaume Demers
SCORING SUMMARY
Alberta 3, UNB 2
FIRST PERIOD
SCORING:
1. UNB Justin DaCosta (1) (Kevin Henderson, Denny Johnston), 4:23
2. ALB Brian Woolger (1) (Chad Klassen, Dylan Stanley), 9:12
PENALTIES:
No penalties.
SECOND PERIOD
SCORING:
3. UNB Rob Hennigar (1) (unassisted), 0:34.
4. ALB Tim Krymusa (2) (Ian McDonald, Eric Hunter), 2:34
PENALTIES:
Richard Hamula (ALB) checking-to-the-head minor, 10-minute misconduct, 6:01; Kevin Henderson (UNB) closing hand on puck, 13:05.
THIRD PERIOD
SCORING:
5. ALB Ian McDonald (4) (Tim Krymusa, Eric Hunter), 11:33 PP
PENALTIES:
David Bowman (UNB) interference, 11:09; Tyler Metcalfe (ALB) tripping, 14:49; David Bowman (UNB) checking-from-behind minor, game misconduct, 18:15; Ian McDonald (ALB) checking-from-behind minor, game misconduct, 18:15.
GOALS (by period)
ALB: 1-1-1:3
UNB: 1-1-0:2
SHOTS ON GOAL (by period)
ALB: 9-10-6:25
UNB: 14-12-16:42
POWER PLAY:
ALB: 1-2
UNB: 0-2
GOALTENDERS
ALB – Aaron Sorochan (W, 2-1, 42 shots, 40 saves, 2 GA, 60:00)
UNB – Michael Ouzas (L, 2-1, 25 shots, 22 saves, 3 GA, 58:15)
UNB – Empty net (0 shots, 0 saves, 0 GA, 1:45)
PLAYERS OF THE GAME:
ALB: Aaron Sorochan UNB: Hunter Tremblay
REFEREE: François Fortin
LINESMEN: Mac MacPherson, Jeff Hopkins
ATTENDANCE: 4,712
SCHEDULE & RESULTS (All times LOCAL: Atlantic Time)
All games video webcast: www.cisport.ca/e/championships/m_hockey/2008
Thursday, March 20
Pool A #1: UNB 6, Brock 1
Pool B #1: Moncton 2, Alberta 1 (OT)
Friday, March 21
Pool A #2: Saskatchewan 4, Brock 1
Pool B #2: Alberta 7, McGill 3
Saturday, March 22
Pool A #3: UNB 4, Saskatchewan 0
Pool B #3: McGill 3, Moncton 0
Sunday, March 23
Final: Alberta 3, UNB 2
– CIS –
