The Cumberland Grads tried to dig themselves out of a three-goal hole, but the Smiths Falls Bears held on for a 3-2 victory.
Smiths Falls made the score 3-0 on a goal by Sterling Bray at 11:12 in the third period, and Cumberland got as close as 3-2 when Mathieu Dubois scored 19:09 into the third period.
The Bears got the win thanks to a great game by Cole Busschaert, who had one goal and two assists. Busschaert scored 37 seconds into the second period to make the score 2-0 Smiths Falls. Bray provided the assist.
Smiths Falls forced the Grads goalie Thierry Messervier to work between the pipes, taking 34 shots. The Bears could not stay out of the penalty box, as the team accrued 16 minutes in penalties during the game.
Smiths Falls also got points from Corey Caruso, who also had one goal and one assist and Bray, who also registered one goal and two assists. In addition, Smiths Falls received assists from Chris MacMillan, who had one.
Cumberland put up an impenetrable defensive front on the penalty kill, and did not allow Smiths Falls to score on any of its four power plays. The Grads could not produce up to their normal offensive output. Cumberland averages 4.2 goals per game.
The Grads were helped by Branden Makara, who tallied one goal. Makara scored on the power play 13:11 into the third period to make the score 3-1 Smiths Falls. Cumberland had taken the advantage when the Bears' MacMillan got sent off for high sticking. Zackhary Salloum assisted on the tally. More assists for Cumberland came via Ted McCabe, who had one.
Evan DeBrouwer made 26 saves for Smiths Falls on 28 shots. The Grads' Messervier stopped 31 shots out of the 34 that he faced. Cumberland incurred 12 minutes in penalty time with six minors.
