CWSHL Finals Continue

The Central West Senior Hockey League finals are set to resume on Saturday, March 5 as the Grand Falls-Windsor Cataracts and Corner Brook Royals face off in Game 3.

Due to a scheduling conflict, the Corner Brook Royals will make the trek up the highway to a previous home – the Hodder Memorial Stadium in Deer Lake – as their first “home” game of the series.  The Royals find themselves in a 2-0 hole as the Cataracts won both opening games in Grand Falls-Windsor last weekend.

According to fans, Games 1 and 2 was some of the best hockey action seen in a long time in the CWSHL.  The Cataracts with their potent offense out shot the Royals in both games, the Royals goaltender was outstanding and the players in general, gave it their all with big hits and great speed.  The Royals were missing several key players in the 2 losses but are expected to have a full lineup this weekend, except for the absence of Ryan Salvis who was injured in game 2.

If the Royals are going to have success in game 3, they must contain the Cataracts’ and league scoring leader Cam Fergus who has 21 points (7G, 14A) so far in the playoffs.  It does not stop there – you then have Steve Yetman with 11 points (2G, 9A) and Danny Wicks with 9 points (4G, 5A).

The Royals are coming off a 7-game victory over the Clarenville Caribous in the semi-finals.  They must not only cut down on the shots that goaltender Bryan Gillis will face but they must start putting the puck into the net.  Scott Doody is their leading playoff scorer with 9 points (2G, 7A), followed by Matthew Thomey with 7 points (2G, 5A) and then Brandon Hynes (4G, 3A).  Hynes was the Royals leading scorer in the regular season but has struggled to hit his stride so far in this playoff series.

With games 1 & 2 being decided by just a single goal each, this playoff series is anything but over.  The Royals will hit the ice at 8:00 pm at the Hodder Memorial Stadium on Saturday night and then return to the Corner Brook Civic Centre for Sunday’s game.

The winner of this series will take on the AESHL champion for the Herder Memorial Trophy.