Ty Hipkin of the Calgary Canucks crashes the net as Noah Pak of the Collingwood Blues makes the save late in the third period at the Sixteen Mile Sports Complex in Oakville Thursday. Collingwood won 5-4 in both teams’ first game at the 2024 Centennial Cup (Photo by Tim Bates / OJHL Images)
Captain Dylan Hudon’s goal with 3:23 remaining in regulation lifted the Collingwood Blues to a 5-4 come-from-behind win over the Calgary Canucks in both teams’ opening game at the 2024 Centennial Cup in Oakville Thursday afternoon.
The Blues’ Spencer Young had tied the score at 4-4 with 5:29 to play.
The Ontario Junior Hockey League champion Blues led 2-1 after the first period on power-play goals by Marcus Lougheed and Mark McIntosh.
During the second period, Calgary scored two of its own with the extra man and Blues’ defenceman Cameron Eke scored, also on the power play, to tie the game at 3-3.
Noah Pak made 30 saves to earn the win. Ex-Collingwood goalie Julian Molinaro made 21 stops for Calgary.
“I was pleased with the way we started out; we were ready to play and it showed,” Blues head coach Andrew Campoli told Ron Valentine postgame. “I wasn’t too happy with our penalties but we stayed the course, stuck to our game and finally we got the result we wanted. Calgary is a fast-skating team and they took it to us on their power plays.”
“Young always tries to put the puck through the net, not just in it. and his goal just came when we needed it to tie it up at 4-4. Now we have to build on this start.”
Hudon saw Young’s goal the same way his coach did.
“It’s Collingwood hockey and even though we got behind we kept playing the way we needed to,” he said. “Spencer’s (Young) goal really got us back into it. We are playing the best clubs in the country now and nothing is going to be easy going forward but I’m proud of the way the guys played tonight.”
Collingwood’s own Lougheed was named player of the game for the Blues.
“It’s a great feeling to be back in the Centennial Cup,” he told the OJHL. “Calgary played a strong game but we stuck to the plan. Damen Boose, the only other Collingwood-born player on the team, delivered a big hit near the end of the game and that shows what we are all about being able to come off the bench and make a big play.”
Former OJHL Trenton Golden Hawk Julien Gervais had the hat trick for Calgary.
The Blues, in their second straight Centennial Cup, play the Greater Sudbury Cubs Friday at 4 p.m.
The Oakville Blades, the hosts of the 10-team tournament, play their first game Friday at 7:30 p.m. against the Miramichi Timberwolves.
Round-robin play continues through Wednesday at 16 Mile Sports Complex. Quarter-finals will be played Friday, May 17, semifinals May 18 and the championship game Sunday, May 19.
For more information on the Centennial Cup, go to: https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/national-championships/men/national-junior-a/2024
-with files from Ron Valentine
