Mohawks dominate Knights in Presidents Cup opener.

Source: www.kahnawakelacrosse.com
Text and photo by Greg Horn
K103radio.com

EDMONTON, AB - The Kahnawake Mohawks had a game plan and stuck to it in their opening game of the 2008 Presidents Cup in Sherwood Park, Alberta against Airdrie Knights. The success of the Knights team all year in the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League was their discipline Mohawks dominate Knights in Presidents Cup opener.

This team doesn’t take a lot of penalties and capitalizes when their opponents go into the box.

Going into this game the Mohawks coaching staff made up of Barry Alfred, Kevin Biggs and Eric Jacobs told their charges to play very disciplined lacrosse and not to get into penalty trouble. The Quebec Senior Lacrosse League Champs stuck to that game plan to a T and came out on top. The Mohawks took only four minutes in penalties to the Knights’ eight.

Both these teams came out gunning and the goaltenders had to stand on their heads to keep their respective teams in the game. Airdrie’s Rob McGowean was the first to strike netting one off a pass from Chad Evans and beating Ben Vanevery at 10:40 of the first period.

Just under six minutes later Lance Mitchell made a pass to Callum Crawford to net the equalizer for the Mohawks. The first period ended in a deadlock with the Mohawks outshooting the Knights 15-10.

At the start of the second period it looked like it was going to be more of the same as both teams had spectacular chances. Then at 4:51 Mitchell opened the floodgates scoring two 34 seconds apart. Just 35 seconds later, Curtis Diabo passed to Tontie McComber, who buried his first of the 2008 Presidents Cup tournament.

Then one of the Mohawks defensive specialists Clay Kirby scored on consecutive breakaway passes just 49 seconds apart. Assists went to Ryan “Chucky” McComber and Bobby Delaronde. Then at 15:21, Kirby passed the ball to Crawford who netted his second of the game. At the end of two periods of play the Mohawks held a comfortable 7-1 lead.

During the intermission Airdrie head coach Keith Berg must have fired up his team as McGowean netted his second of the game just 47 seconds into the third period. What spark that created for the Knights squad was soon extinguished as Chris Konopoliff scored at 1:43. Then at 4:12 Mohawks defender Pat Collins took a holding penalty and Aidrie went to work on their second power play of the game. However, Kirby passed to Crawford, who scored his hat trick while shorthanded at 4:51.

Evans was able to convert on the power play with two seconds left in the penalty to make the score 9-3. Raj Wasson scored the Mohawks final goal at 7:08. The final score was 10-3 for the Mohawks.

The Mohawks are in action again tonight at 10 p.m. (EDT) against the host Sherwood Park Outlaws.

Coverage of the 2008 Presidents Cup on K103 Kahnawake and www.k103radio.com is brought to you by Goodleaf’s Auto and Recycling and the Caisse Populaire Kahnawake.