GIBSON POSTS SHUTOUT AS HOUNDS CLAIM NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

SELKIRK, Man. – The 23-year wait is over. The Notre Dame Hounds are once again national Midget champions.

In undoubtedly their most complete game of the tournament, the Hounds got early goals from Drew George and Bryce Milson and 43 saves from netminder Christopher Gibson as they claimed the gold medal at the 2009 TELUS Cup with a 4-0 win over the Calgary Buffaloes on Sunday night.

The gold medal is the third for the Hounds at the National Midget Championship, but first since 1986. Their three national titles – they also took the top prize in 1980 – ties them for second all-time, trailing only the Regina Pat Canadians, who have won four times.

Coming off a heart-stopping semifinal victory over Laval-Bourassa on Saturday, in which they needed two goals in the final six minutes to earn the victory, the Hounds struck early on Sunday, as George beat Calgary netminder Sam Brittain just 100 seconds after the opening faceoff.

George set up Milson for the 2-0 goal just 6:04 later, and the Hounds used Gibson’s goaltending to take them the rest of the way. George notched his second of the game just 59 seconds into the third period, and Hounds captain Ben Gamanche, the tournament’s Top Forward, rounded out the scoring late.

Gibson was at his best in the third period, making 18 saves as the Buffaloes tried in vain to get back into the game. Overall, Notre Dame outshot the Buffaloes 44-43.

Notre Dame was buoyed by the attendance of more than 200 students from their school, who traveled seven-and-a-half hours by bus to provide support. The red-and-white-clad mob was loud 60 minutes before the teams took to the ice for pre-game warm-up, and helped spark the Hounds to their quick start.

George and Milson finished with three points apiece, while blueliner Blaine Thomson added two helpers to the win.