Staff
Jordan Larson and the Carleton Place Canadians control their own destiny.
The CCHL champion Canadians are tied for first with QJHL champion College Francais de Longeuil after Day 2 of the Fred Page Cup Eastern Canada Junior ‘A’ hockey championship in Woodstock, N.B.
It comes down to a battle of unbeaten teams when Carleton Place and Longeuil meet in their final round-robin game this afternoon, with the winner going directly to Sunday afternoon’s final.
Larson, a Fort Frances native, had a big hand in the Canadians’ 5-2 victory over the host Woodstock Slammers (MHL) on Wednesday.
The 20-year-old tied the game at 2-2 in the second period, then assisted on the game-winner later in the frame by Braedyn Asseltine.
Larson added an empty-netter with 1:28 to go.
He was held off the scoresheet yesterday but the Canadians still prevailed 3-1 over the Pictou County Weeks Crushers (MHL champs).
If Carleton Place loses today, it will have to play in tomorrow afternoon’s semi-final against the winner between Woodstock (0-2) and Pictou County (0-2) tonight.
The winning team will advance to the RBC Cup on May 14-24 in Lloydminster, Alta./Sask.
Meanwhile, Fort native Ryan Faragher served as the back-up goalie for the San Diego Gulls, who lost 5-3 to the visiting Ontario Reign in Game 1 of the AHL Calder Cup semi-finals.
Matt Hackett made 24 saves in defeat for the Gulls, who called up Faragher a week ago after losing goalie Anton Khudobin to injury.
Game 2 goes tomorrow in San Diego.
As for ex-Fort Frances Lakers’ goalie Nathan Park, he and the rest of the defending RBC Cup champion Portage Terriers (MJHL) have their back against the wall at the Western Canada Cup Junior ‘A’ championship in Estevan, Sask.
The Terriers finished in third place after the round-robin with a 2-1-1 record.
That puts them in the 3 vs. 4 game against the SJHL champion Melfort Mustangs tomorrow.
Portage needs to win that game to advance to the play-in game Sunday against the loser of tomorrow night’s final between the AJHL’s Brooks Bandits (4-0) and the BCHL’s West Kelowna Warriors (3-1).
Two teams will advance from this tournament to the RBC Cup.
