Photo Credit - Lacombe Generals - Shot by T
The Lacombe Generals captured their second consecutive Vanberg Cup on Saturday in dramatic fashion. Captain Cam Maclise ended the 5th game of the series when he scored the winning goal at the midpoint of the first overtime session.
Lacombe defeated the Devon Barons in 5 hard fought games, 2 of them going to extra time.
On Wednesday, March 20th, the teams met in Devon for game #3. The Generals got off to a quick start building up a 4-0 lead after the first period. As they have done throughout these playoffs, the Barons battled back, closing the gap to 5-4 in the third period before the Generals put the game away. Thomas Beretta 2-2-4, Cam Maclise 1-3-4, Taylor Mulder 1-1-2, Jamie Johnson 1-1-2, Scott Doucet 1-1-2, and Luke Colman scored for the Generals. Mac Engel stopped 32 shots to pick up the win. Replying for the Barons were Cody Issler 1-1-2, Chris Van Os-Shaw 1-2-3, Evan Cox 1-1-2 and Dayton Heino, while Mike Gudmanson stopped 47 shots in the loss. With the win, the Generals led the series 2-1. The game was played before the largest crowd of the season in Devon.
On Friday, March 22nd, the teams again met, this time in Lacombe for game #4. The game's first goal didn't come until the 13:25 mark of the second period with a goal from Cam Maclise. The Generals increased their lead to 2-0 with the first of 2 goals from first star TJ Brown at 6:50 of the 3rd period. The Barons got back into the game with a goal from Chris Van Os-Shaw at 7:13. The Generals blew the game open with 3 goals in just over a minute to up the score to 5-1. Tj Brown 2-1-3, Cam Maclise 1-1-2, Bryce Wilson and Jamie Johnson scored for Lacombe and Mac Engel was solid turning away 32 of 33 Devon shots. Replying for the Barons was Van Os-Shaw and goaltender Mike Gudmanson was outstanding as he stopped 45 of 50 General's shots. With the win, Lacombe had a 3-1 series lead.
That brings us to Saturday's game 5 in Lacombe. In front of their largest crowd of the playoffs, the Generals and the Barons went back and forth in this tighty contested game. Luke Coleman opened the scoring at 4:45, but the Barons Austin Cunningham scored a beauty short handed goal with 4 minutes left in the 1st period to knot the score at 1.
The Barons took the lead 2-1 when Aaron Fedyk scored at 4:32 of the 2nd period and that held up until the Generals scored a power play goal by Thomas Beretta (his 10th on the PP) with under 3 minutes remaining in the period. The Generals had a large edge in shots on goal in that period, and the Baron's Jordan Cooke was outstanding to keep his team in the game,
The 3rd period saw the Generals take the lead at 6:03 when Jamie Johnson scored only to see their lead again disapear when the Baron's Chris Van Os-Shaw scored at 15:24. The Barons had a large edge in shots on goal and only the play of Mac Engel kept the game tied.
To overtime they went, with each team having chances to win. The Generals ended it when captain Cam Maclise scored at 9:44 to send the home crowd home happy.
Craig Gans-Cam Maclise-VP Jerry Muise- President Sam Maupin-Scott Maetche-Taylor Mulder-Kirk HoltetPhoto Credit - Lacombe Generals - Shot by T
The win marks the end of another NCHL season.
Congratulations to both the Lacombe Generals and the Devon Barons for their great seasons. With the win, the Generals have won back to back championships, the first time that's happened since the Daysland North Stars went back to back to back from 2016-2018. To the Barons, congratuations on earning your 2nd North Division championship, and although the loss is disapointing, your improvements on the ice this season were noteworthy.
