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Shugg and Cantin Shoot Down the Spitfires

February 3, 2011 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Mississauga St. Michael's Majors News Release


WINDSOR, ON - The Mississauga St. Michael's Majors faced the Spitfires this evening in their only trip to Windsor this season. Many old faces were squaring off against their former team. Marc Cantin and Justin Shugg made their first trip to Windsor since being dealt to the Majors this past summer. Meanwhile, Nick Ebert (who was drafted by Mississauga this past summer but was traded before training camp) and Kerby Rychel faced their former team. It was a thrilling game that ended in a 4-3 shootout victory for Mississauga.

There appeared to be a lot of bad blood right from the opening face off. Just 0:32 seconds into the game Rob Flick and Zach Kassian dropped the gloves for the first fight of the period, but it would not be the last. Chris DeSousa and Derek Lanoue were the combatants in the second fight of the game at 7:46 while Joe Cramarossa and Jeff Brown earned the third fighting major of the period for their respective teams at 14:08. Finally it was two former teammates who closed out the first period that looked more like a boxing match when Derek Schoenmakers and Kerby Rychel squared off at 14:51. There was some scoring to speak of in the first period as well. Tom Kuhnhackl broke the ice at 7:45 when he beat JP Anderson for his 25th of the season. Taylor Carnevale and Brown had the assist on the first Windsor goal. The Majors answered back at 11:45 when, just a couple of minutes before his fight, Cramarossa scored to tie the game. Devante Smith-Pelly assisted on Cramarossa's 11th goal of the season. In addition to trading goals the two teams ended the period even on the shot clock, at 11 apiece.

Both teams appeared to come out for the second period a little more relaxed. After combining for 48 minutes in penalties in the first period, the two teams combined for only eight in the second. Both goalies looked strong in the second period, as they did in the first. With less than four minutes left in the period, Mississauga looked like they had a good scoring chance in front of Windsor goalie Jack Campbell. The opposite turned out to be true. The same line that scored Windsor s first goal shut down the Majors and broke away from their own zone, putting the puck past JP Anderson to make it 2-1 Spitfires. This time, it was Carnevale with the goal, with Kuhnhackl getting his first assist of the night and Brown getting his second assist of the night. Mississauga outshot Windsor 13-11 in the second, but still went to the locker room trailing 2-1.

Windsor expanded their lead early in the third period. It was Carnevale again, scoring his second goal of the night and his 28th of the season just 0:40 into the third period. Kuhnhackl got his second assist of the game and third point of the night while Adrian Robertson had the other assist. The Majors would not let the 3-1 deficit discourage them. While the score was still 3-1 with just five minutes remaining in the third, Joe Cramarossa and Derek Schoemakers took over the game, to ensure the Majors would leave with at least a point. Schoenmakers scored his eighth of the season at 15:49 to pull the Majors within one. Cramarossa had his second point of the night on the Schoenmakers goal. It was Schoenmakers again at 17:36 when he scored his second of the game, and ninth of the season to tie the game and send it to overtime. Cramarossa had his third point of the evening on the game tying goal. The three points were a nice compliment to his first period fight. Brett Flemming had the other assist. Shots on goal were 12-9 in favour of the Majors in the third period.

Two of the top teams in the OHL treated fans in Windsor to an exciting overtime period. The best chance of the period came when Carnevale had a great chance about a minute into the period. He rang the puck off the goalpost and was denied the game winning goal, and the hat trick. The Majors had several great chances in the period as well, but Campbell was up to the challenge in the Windsor net. Ultimately, overtime would solve nothing and the game would be decided in the shootout.

A pair of former Spitfires were the difference in the shootout for Mississauga. First, Justin Shugg made a beautiful move as he skated in on Campbell and scored to put the Majors ahead. Windsor countered with Carnevale, who already had two goals on the evening. Carnevale was denied when he fired the puck off the outside of the goalpost. Next it was another former Spitfire when Coach Cameron turned to Marc Cantin. Cantin went to the backhand to beat Campbell and put the Majors ahead by two. The pressure was on Ryan Ellis as Windsor counted on the veteran to keep them alive. Despite Ellis best efforts, he found himself with no where to go as JP Anderson made the save, and clinched the comeback victory for the Majors. The final score was 4-3.

Campbell was strong in net for Windsor and made 33 saves on 36 shots in the loss. Anderson also looked good in the Mississauga net, making 28 saves for the victory. The games three stars were Cramarossa (3rd), Carnevale (2nd) and Schoenmakers (1st).

The Majors are back in back in action as the wrap up this week s schedule with a match up against Sarnia tomorrow night. The team then returns home for the fourth annual Paint the Rink Pink game next Friday against the Plymouth Whalers. Game time is 7:30 PM and a donation will be made to the CBCF for every ticket sold. Visit stmichaelsmajors.com and follow the links to purchase your tickets.

MasterCard Memorial Cup ticket packages are still on sale. Platinum packages are sold out but fans can still purchase red and gold packages for the tournament this May. Red ticket packages start at just $495.00 and can be purchased by calling 905-502-7788 x. 1 or by visiting ticketmaster.ca.

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