Box Score Box score
Joey Martini (Calgary, Alberta/Canmore (AJHL)) scored what proved to be the winning goal on Friday afternoon in the initial game of the 2008 Cardinal Classic in Plattsburgh, N.Y., as the Saints (5-7-2) defeated Trinity (Conn.) College (4-3-1) by a score of 3-1 to move into the Classic final on Saturday night at 7 p.m. where they'll face the winner of Friday's late game between No. 3-ranked Plattsburgh State and Tufts University.
Matt Stengl (East Grand Forks, Minn./Selkirk (MJHL)) put the Saints up 1-0 early in the first period, scoring at the 4:32 mark with an assist from Shane Auger (Russell, Manitoba/Waywayseecappo (MJHL)). The goal was Stangl's second of the season.
St. Scholastica, who entered the game with a 2-2-1 record when scoring the first goal of the game, out shot the Bantams nine to four in the period and took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
Netminder Steve Bounds (Airdrie, Alberta/Powell River (BCHL)), making his sixth start in a row between the pipes for the blue and gold, faced a barrage in the second period as Trinity put 17 shots on goal in the 20 minute session.
Only one power play goal made it into the back of the night behind Bounds, though, which kept his team even with the Bantams at 1-1 after two periods.
A little past the midpoint of the final stanza, Martini and the Saints were on a power play when the junior forward buried the eventual game winner behind Trinity goalie David Murison. Picking up assists on the goal were A.J. Tucker and Jordan Chong (North Vancouver, British Columbia/Dryden (SIJHL)).
The first goal in the third period has proven to be the magic goal for the Saints as they've scored that particular goal in four of their five wins this season.
With Trinity pressing late in the final period, the Saints got some breathing room when Trevor Geiger (Salmon Arm, British Columbia/Salmon Arm (BCHL)) scored his fifth of the year. The goal, at 17:26 off assists from Joey Hughes (Springvale South, Australia/Cowichan Valley (BCHL)) and Chris Meagher (Victoria, British Columbia/Brooks (AJHL)), gave Bounds and the Saints the room they needed to take the win and advance into the Classic final.
Trinity pulled Murison from goal for an extra attacker with 1:14 left to play but the Saints didn't allow a shot.
Bounds picked up the win after stopping 23 of 24 shots and moved his season record to 3-2-1 while Murison took the loss for Trinity stopping 24 of 27 shots, dropping his season mark to 3-2-0.
