2019 National Junior A Championship

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2019 National Junior A Championship
Game #12
Semifinal
Final
May 18, 2019 7:00 pm MDT
Centennial Regional Arena
Brooks, AB

Scoring

Teams
1st
2nd
3rd
Final
Teams
1
2
3
F
0
1
0
1

Shots on Goal

1st
2nd
3rd
Final
1
2
3
F
6
9
18
33
9
17
6
32

Statistics

PP
PIM
0 / 2
6
1 / 3
17

Game Story

SPRUCE KINGS EDGE BLADES, ADVANCE TO NJAC FINAL

JASON LA ROSE

BROOKS, Alta. – Nick Poisson and Ben Brar scored 1:45 apart in the second period, Logan Neaton made 32 saves and the Prince George Spruce Kings held off the Oakville Blades 2-1 on Saturday night to move into the championship game at the 2019 National Junior A Championship.

The Spruce Kings will face a familiar foe – they will take on the host Brooks Bandits in the final on Sunday afternoon (3 p.m. TSN3), looking for the first national title in franchise history.

The game will be the eighth between Prince George and Brooks in just over three weeks, including the six-game Doyle Cup series (won 4-2 by the Spruce Kings) and the Bandits’ 3-1 prelim win Thursday.

Dylan Anhorn chipped in with a pair of assists for the Spruce Kings, who needed far less time to win this semifinal than they did their first – Prince George downed the Camrose Kodiaks in five overtimes in 2007 in the longest game in tournament history.

Goaltending was the story through the first half of the game; Neaton and Oakville counterpart Will Barber went save for save for almost 36 minutes, although Barber was the busier of the two – he turned aside 24 shots in the first two periods, while Neaton stopped 14.

Poisson finally broke through 16 minutes into the middle frame, grabbing a loose puck after a missed pokecheck by Barber and sweeping a backhand into an open net.

Kyle Lewis answered just 63 seconds later, finishing a pretty set-up from Harrison Israels, but Brar needed only 42 seconds to drive to the net off the left wing and tuck the game-winner around Barber.

The Blades controlled the third period, outshooting Prince George 18-6, but Neaton – who was named Top Goaltender on Friday – was there time and time again to backstop the Spruce Kings to the final.

The best chance for the Central Region champions came on a five-minute power play early in the final stanza, but Prince George held its ground and maintained its one-goal advantage.

The busy final 20 minutes helped Oakville finish with a narrow 33-32 edge in shots on goal.

Play-by-Play

Team
Description
Time
1st Period
PENALTY
Penalty: Garrett Pyke
Boarding (2:00)
17:47
2nd Period
PENALTY
Penalty: Jack Ricketts
Cross-Checking (2:00)
14:49
GOAL (POWER PLAY)
Goal: Nick Poisson

Assists: Dylan Anhorn
15:59
GOAL
Goal: Kyle Lewis

Assists: Harrison Israels
17:02
GOAL
Goal: Ben Brar

Assists: Dustin Manz, Dylan Anhorn
17:44
3rd Period
PENALTY
Penalty: Ben Poisson (Served by Craig MacDonald)
Kneeing - Major (5:00)
03:50
PENALTY
Penalty: Ben Poisson
Game Misconduct - Misconduct (10:00)
03:50
PENALTY
Penalty: Callum Jones
Interference (2:00)
13:38
PENALTY
Penalty: Nick Poisson
High-Sticking (2:00)
14:15

Goaltenders

Name Team Mins SA SVS GA SV%
Will Barber OAK 58 32 30 2 0.938
Logan Neaton PG 60 33 32 1 0.970

Game Leaders

Goals 1 - Assists 0 - Points 1
G 1 - A 0 - P 1
Goals 0 - Assists 2 - Points 2
G 0 - A 2 - P 2
Goals 0 - Assists 1 - Points 1
G 0 - A 1 - P 1
Goals 1 - Assists 0 - Points 1
G 1 - A 0 - P 1
Goals 1 - Assists 0 - Points 1
G 1 - A 0 - P 1

Previous Games

1 - 2 L @ Prince George Spruce KingsPG
May 18, 2019
3 - 4 L @ Brooks BanditsBRO
May 19, 2019
7 - 4 W @ Ottawa Jr. SenatorsOTT
May 16, 2019
2 - 1 W vs. Oakville BladesOAK
May 18, 2019
5 - 4 W vs. Portage TerriersPOR
May 14, 2019
1 - 3 L vs. Brooks BanditsBRO
May 16, 2019
Videos
Photos
2023 Centennial Cup: Day 7 – Wednesday, May 17
The Rock, Mariners and Terriers were Wednesday winners at the Centennial Cup in Portage la Prairie.
2023 Centennial Cup: Day 5 – Monday, May 15
Battlefords, Bandits and Jr. Sens pick up a crucial three points as preliminary round draws near.
2023 Centennial Cup: Day 4 – Sunday, May 14
The Cobras de Terrebonne and Steinbach Pistons earned important victories Sunday at the Centennial Cup.
2023 Centennial Cup: Day 2 – Saturday, May 13
The Bandits, Blues and Terriers all earned their second wins Saturday at the National Junior A Championship.