Mohawks lose a tough one

Wednesday August 20, 2008
Source: www.kahnawakelacrosse.com

Text and photo by Greg Horn
K103radio.com

The Kahnawake Mohawks were looking to improve to 2-0 when they took on the host Sherwood Park Outlaws in their second game of the 2008 Presidents Cup tournament. This game was a rematch of sorts between these two teams from the bronze medal match of the 2005 Presidents Cup tournament in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario.

That game ended with the Outlaws claiming the bronze by downing the Mohawks 7-4. That game was also marred by a brawl in which 96 penalty minutes were levied and many players from both teams were suspended for the following season, some going into multiple seasons.

This was an important game for the two teams as both wanted to improve to 2-0 to try to solidify first place in their respective groupings. The game started with action seen on both sides of the floor with Mohawks netminder Ben Vanevery and his Outlaws counterpart Grant McLeod making spectacular saves.

Then at 5:41 Sherwood Park’s Colin Sherbanuk struck first to give his team a 1-0 lead. The Kahnawake Mohawks didn’t stay behind for very long as Curry Rice netted his first of the tournament at 11:31 to tie it at 1-1. However, at 13:56 Ben Prepchuk scored an unassisted goal to give the Outlaws a 2-1 lead, which went into the first intermission.

At 4:23 Dan Bostrom gave the Outlaws a 3-1 lead. But at 7:06 Mohawks sniper Lance Mitchell scored on the power play. The play was set up by Callum Crawford, who dished it off to Louis Alfred, who then passed it to Mitchell who blasted it over the shoulder of McLeod to make it 3-2.

Then at 10:28 of the second, Mohawks defenseman Clay Kirby was assessed at five minute major for checking from behind. On the ensuing power play both Prepchuk and Stu Sterparn scored to give the Outlaws a 5-2 lead, which stood going into the second intermission.

Sterparn then gave his team a 6-2 lead at 5:15 of the third period. Just two minutes later Mitchell dished it off to Mike Dube, who was deep in the offensive zone and used his quick hands and beat McLeod over the shoulder to make it 6-3.

Then just before the ten-minute mark Dave McCrimmon netted what could have been a backbreaking seventh goal. McCrimmon’s shot hit the post and shot out across the goal line, but never appeared to cross it. However, the game’s official ruled it a goal and the Mohawks were down 7-3 with ten minutes to go in the game.

As the Mohawks tried to mount a comeback, head coach Barry Alfred pulled Vanevery to give his team a 5-on-4 advantage as both Pat Collins and Outlaws Kevin Hobday were serving penalties. The move worked as Alfred passed to Curtis Diabo, who beat McLeod with a nice bounce-shot. The score was now 7-4 with the Mohawks surging. Then with just two-and-a-half minutes left Diabo netted another to make the score 7-5.

Vanevery was pulled again to give the Mohawks a man-advantage. However, they were unable to capitalize and Peter Gut scored on the empty net. The final score was 8-5.

It is interesting to note that the Outlaws are made up of a number of National Lacrosse League players, including Jimmy Quinlan, Prepchuk, Rory Glaves, Peter Gut, all of the Edmonton Rush as well as Rush assistant coach Chris Stachniak. Calgary Roughnecks Ryan McNish also plays for the Outlaws.

The Mohawks will take on the Tri-City Bandits (B.C.) tonight live on K103 and K103radio.com at 8 p.m.

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