CHRIS UHLIG
The finals of the Bogart Cup sport two equally matched teams and all signs point to a tight series.
The first game between the Bears and the Navan Grads on Friday the 19th in Navan ended with a bitter loss for the Bears. They could have won it, but stood in their own way. Quinn Booth scored first for the team at 16:28, but Navan followed suit shortly thereafter at 19:56 in the first period. Smiths Falls once again grabbed the lead in the second period with Quinn Booth earning his second score. But a penalty (too many men on the ice) allowed Navan to gain just enough of an advantage to level the scoreboard once more with a powerplay goal at 9:07 in the third period, erasing the hopes of the Bears for an easy win. A late overtime period score at 18:19 gave Navan the win on home ice.
Sunday saw a very similar game, but this time in the favour of Smiths Falls for a 4:3 win. Travis Oullette, assisted by Matthew Dimaline and Hunter O’Brian, opened the scoring with a goal at 8:57 in the first period, however Navan’s Nicholas Paone wiped out the lead with a goal at 11:11. Shaymus Stevenson edged the Bears forward with a powerplay goal at 17:15, assisted by Hunter O’Brian and Lucas Culhane. Not a minute later at 18:12, Colin MacDougal levelled the scoreboard for the Grads. Navan even managed to take the lead at 1:30 in the third period with a score by Shaan Kingwell. It did not look good for the Bears, but Kyle Dagg, helped by Alec Hamady and Finnegan Kilmurray, brought the Bears the much needed break at the 12:33 mark. A puck flung by Matthew Dimaline past Navan’s goalie at 3:43 in the first overtime period spelled the win for the Bears. Jackson Heron is credited for the assist.
First Star of the evening went to Matthew Dimaline for shooting the winning goal and one assist, Navan’s goalie Jaeden Nelson earned Second Star, and the Bears’ own goalie Dawson Labre got Third Star.
Smith Falls sent a barrage of 46 shots at Navan’s net compared to 29 by the Grads.
The next home game will be this Friday at the usual time.
