CJHL Hockey
Cumberland Grads hand Lumber Kings worst loss of the season
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online

Mathieu Ouellette scored three goals and two assists in the Cumberland Grads 6-2 win over the Pembroke Lumber Kings on Tuesday. Fred Sherwin/Photo

The Cumberland Grads played arguably their best game of the season on Tuesday night in handing the Pembroke Lumber Kings their worst loss of the season.

Mathieu Ouellette led the way for the Grads, bursting out of a six game scoring slump with three goals and two assists.

"It feels pretty good. The best way to get out of a slump is to keep firing the puck on net and tonight a couple of them went in," said Ouellette, who had a seven point night against the Kanata Stallions on Oct. 2.

The Clarence Creek native was the recipient of an early Christmas present at the 12:57 mark of the first period when Lumber Kings defenceman Anthony Farrow attempted a breakout pass from deep in his own end. Ouellette intercepted the puck on the forecheck and fired a shot that beat Pembroke starting goalie Scott Zacharias low stick side.

The Lumber Kings tied the game a little over three minutes later, just moments after the Grads had killed off their first penalty of the game.

Ouellette's second goal of the game was a power play marker that was set up nicely by Kevin Lough with eight seconds left to go in the first. Lough made the initial rush deep into the Pembroke end and then threaded a pass to Ouellette who was parked by the far post.

The Grads leading scorer completed the hat trick with a breakaway goal early in the second stanza on a pass from Stephen Farrell who was acquired from the Lumber Kings last week in a trade for defenceman Daniel Sauve.

The score remained 3-1 in favour of the Grads until midway through the second period when they chased Zacharias from the Lumber Kings net with a pair of goals just 60 seconds apart.

Michael Borkowski got things going when he stopped just inside the Lumber Kings' blueline and fired a bullet past Zacharias' outstretched trapper. Kevin Lough then scored 60 second later to end the night for the beleagured Pembroke goaltender who was pulled in favour of backup John Nuata.

The Lumber Kings got one back on a harmless looking shot that caught the inside of the far post from a sharp angle. It was the only suspect goal in an otherwise stellar performance by Grads' starting goalie Adam Mohr.

Cumberland's sixth goal came at the 15:18 mark of the second period on a point shot from Brett Madigan that caught the top corner of the net.

The score could have easily been a lot worse for the league-leading Lumber Kings. Gallant and Ouellette were both stopped on breakaways, and Borkowski fanned on a shot with the net wide open. As it was, the 6-2 final was the most lopsided defeat the Lumber Kings have suffered all season. In fact, Pembroke has only lost be three or more goals twice this season and in both instances the Grads were responsible.

Cumberland downed Pembroke 5-2 back on Nov. 6 before the Lumber Kings went on an eight game winning streak.

The Jekyl and Hyde Grads will be hoping to win their first back-to-back games when they host the Ottawa Jr. Sens on Sunday since they won three in a row in early November. Game time is 3 p.m.

(Posted 8:30 a.m., Dec. 2)

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