WELLINGTON, Ont. – Sports – An Andrew McCann marker seven minutes into the second period proved to be the only tally the Wellington Dukes would need as they blanked the Fort Frances Lakers 3-0 Wednesday night in day 2 action at the 2014 Dudley-Hewitt Cup Central Canada Jr. A championship at Essroc Arena in Wellington, Ont.
With the loss the Lakers fall to 0-2 at the four-team event and now face a must-win game Thursday at 2:30 p.m. as they meet the also 0-2 Kirkland Lake Gold Miners with the winner moving on to Friday’s semifinal.
A tight-checking first period saw neither side convert offensively with the respective starting goaltenders Jordan Cartney of the Lakers and the Dukes’ Tyson Teichmann keeping opposing shooters at bay.
Wellington carried the play early in the middle stanza with Goeff McKeown being stymied by the left pad of the Fort Frances netminder.
Taking advantage of a Lakers’ turnover at the blueline the Dukes broke out on a two-on-one where Andrew McCann cruised down the left side and wired home the night’s initial tally at 6:59.
Moments after Teichmann made a big pad save on a Fort Frances opportunity, Wellington countered by adding their second of night as Mike Robinson neatly deflected a Kyle Paat point blast from the top of the crease to put the host side up a pair.
McKeown then capped off the night with a superb shorthanded effort as he blew around a Lakers’ defender before waiting out Cartney and tucking the puck under the cross bar.
Teichmann finished with 23 saves to register the shutout while Cartney faced 33 attempts in a losing cause.
Earning player of the game nod for each side were McKeown and Cartney for a second straight contest for Fort Frances.
You can follow the Dudley-Hewitt Cup online via FASTHockey.com on a pay-per-view basis or through the event website at www.dudleyhewittcup2014.com.
