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 Lewiston Maineiacs goalie Jonathan Bernier (right) finds himself under attack from Medicine Hat Tigers Derek Dorsett and Tyler Swystun as he makes a safe during third period of Memorial Cup play in Vancouver Saturday May 19, 2007. The Maineiacs won 3-1. (CP PHOTO/Chuck Stoody) CANADA |
VANCOUVER (CP) -- Maineiacs goaltender Jonathan Bernier stopped 30 of 31 shots and assisted on an insurance goal in Lewiston's 3-1 win over the Medicine Hat Tigers at the Memorial Cup on Saturday.
Bernier, the first goaltender taken in last year's NHL draft, No. 11 by the Los Angeles Kings, faced down several challenges from close range from the Tigers.
In the third period, he nullified Medicine Hat's short-handed chance with a smart pokecheck on Kevin Undershute and the Maineiacs then raced the puck down the ice and scored on an odd-man rush.
Stefan Chaput, a Carolina Hurricanes prospect, scored that power-play goal on an assist from Stefan Giliati.
Sebastien Piche and Eric Castonguay scored for the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League champion Maineiacs, who have won 27 of their last 28 games and haven't lost in regulation since Feb. 23. Giliati had two assists.
Detroit Red Wings draft pick Darren Helm scored for the Western Hockey League's Tigers. Medicine Hat goaltender Matt Keetley, property of the Calgary Flames, stopped 23 of 26 shots in the loss in front of 12,720 at Pacific Coliseum.
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Lewiston and the host Vancouver Giants, both 1-0, meet Sunday (RSN, 4:30 p.m. ET). The Giants opened the tournament with a 4-3 overtime win over the Ontario Hockey League's Plymouth Whalers on Friday.
Medicine Hat and Plymouth (0-1) square off Monday.
The team with the best record after the round robin gets a bye into the championship game May 27. The second- and third-place teams meet in the semifinal May 25 with the winner advancing to the final.
A tiebreaker will be played in the event of a tie for third.
Medicine Hat struggled to bury their chances on Bernier and took costly penalties in the second and third periods. Lewiston's power-play success was close to 30 per cent during the QMJHL playoffs and they converted two of seven opportunities.
The Tigers scored once on five power-play chances.
After falling behind 1-0 after the first period, the Maineiacs rebounded with a pair of goals in the second.
Piche, a defenceman, pounced on a loose puck rolling front of the crease following a shot from the blue-line by Giliati to make it 2-1 at 12:04. Piche beat Keetley glove side.
Castonguay tied the game with a power-play goal at 1:47. A shot by Chris Tutalo squeaked by Keetley and bounced off the post. Tigers defenceman Gord Baldwin tried to pull the puck away from danger with his stick, but Castonguay was there first to jam it over the goal-line.
Bernier made a point-blank pad save on Tigers defenceman David Schlemko with about two minutes remaining in the first period.
But his long rebound on a Derek Dorsett slapshot deflected out to Helm just inside the faceoff circle and the forward from Winnipeg beat Bernier just under the crossbar glove-side for a power-play goal at 11:40 of the first period.
Bernier had to be on his game at the puck drop as Dorsett charged in off the opening faceoff to challenge him on his doorstep.
CP player of the game
-- Jonathan Bernier. The Maineiacs goaltender frustrated the Tigers with several saves from close range and Lewiston parlayed his smart defensive play in the third period into an insurance goal.