Latest news with #AllanCupChallenge
Ottawa Citizen
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
All-NL battle: St. John's, Clarenville fight for spot in Allan Cup final
An all-Newfoundland battle is coming up today in Southern Ontario. The Clarenville Ford Caribous take on the Rooftech St. John's Caps in semifinal action Friday, April 25, at the Allan Cup Challenge in Flamborough, Ontario. Article content The Caps defeated the Stoney Creek Tigers 4-3 in their quarter-final on April 23 to advance to the semifinals, while Clarenville received a bye to the semifinal after winning their round robin group. Article content Article content The Caps got goals from Joel Bishop, James Melindy, Dylan MacKenzie, and Kyle McGrath, with McGrath's tally being the game winner in the third period. Article content Kyle Downer made 32 saves to record his first win of the tournament. Article content Former St. John's Maple Leaf, David Ling, suited up for the Tigers, but was ejected from the game in the second period on a checking from behind penalty. Article content 'It's nice to see the guys gelling together,' says St. John's head coach Scott Bray. 'Sometimes the bounces don't go your way when you're not giving that 100 per cent effort, and today was an obvious case where we had 20 guys ready to go. Bounces went our way because we worked hard for those bounces.' Article content Article content Clarenville is unbeaten thus far at the Allan Cup Challenge, defeating the Dundas Real McCoys 4-3 and the Stoney Creek Tigers 5-0 to top their group. Article content Article content Bray says he knows it will take another full team effort from the Caps to land a spot in Saturday's final. Article content Article content 'They're a fantastic team,' Bray says of the Caribou. 'They're familiar to us, which is different in this tournament. I'm sure there'll be a lot of passion in the game on Friday.' Article content The Newfoundland squads clash in the first semifinal at 5 p.m. NL time on Friday, with the winner moving on to the championship on Saturday, April 26. Article content
Ottawa Citizen
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Hockey Headlines: NL teams, players still in the hunt as playoff season begins
Article content While the end of April typically has sports fans across the province dusting off their golf clubs and softball bats in anticipation of the spring and summer sports season, there's no shortage of meaningful hockey being played by players and teams from across Newfoundland and Labrador. Article content Article content From a tantalizing all-NL matchup in the tournament for Canadian senior hockey's top prize to the province's new major junior hockey club preparing for its first draft, let's take a look at who's making noise in the provincial hockey scene as we head into the final week of April. Article content Article content With two local teams in Flamborough, ON, this week competing in the Allan Cup Challenge, the hockey gods have gifted Newfoundland and Labrador hockey fans with the ultimate semifinal matchup. Article content The Clarenville Caribous (2-0-0) and the St. John's Capitals (1-2-0) are set to do battle at 5 p.m. NST on Friday, April 25, with the winner advancing to Saturday's championship game. Article content Former Newfoundland Growler and St. John's native Jordan Escott is tied for the tournament lead in points with five (3G, 2A) for the Capitals, while Caribous netminder A.J. Whiffen leads all goaltenders in save percentage (.958 per cent) and goals against average (1.50). Article content At 50 years of age, former St. John's Maple Leaf David Ling is skating in the tournament with the Stoney Creek Tigers. The Halifax, NS, native was selected by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft. Ling was the Baby Leafs' leading scorer (28G, 60A) in their final season in 2004-2005. Article content The championship game is scheduled for 5 p.m. NST on Saturday, April 26, from Harry Howell Arena in Flamborough and will be streamed online at Article content Article content The Regiment had a 10 per cent chance of nabbing the first overall draft selection in the lottery, but that went to the Saint John Sea Dogs.
