A Major Advantage

MISSISSAUGA — In a rematch of the Ontario Hockey League final, the Mississauga Majors defeated the Owen Sound 3-1 at game six of the MasterCard Memorial Cup on Wednesday night.

Jordan Mayer started the scoring for the Majors, as he received a gorgeous saucer pass from Maxim Kitsyn just over the blue line, and with defenders on him, snapped a wrist shot under the blocker of Jordan Binnington.

Then, after some undisciplined play from the Attack got them down 4 on 3, Devante Smith-Pelley looked to have scored the second Majors goal.

However, after the goal was reviewed, it was determined Smith-Pelley knocked the puck into the net with his glove, and was disallowed.

The parade to the penalty box continued for Owen Sound in the second period, but some great penalty killing by Andrew Shaw, Roman Berdnikov, Liam Heelis and Robby Mignardi kept the Majors at bay.

This seemed to give them a little spark, as not long after, Shaw – who came rushing in off the point – converted a pass out from the corner by Mignardi to tie the game 1-1.

But, the parade to the box for Owen Sound continued, as they received two penalties in one play – Shaw for a late hit on Casey Cizikas, and Mike Halmo bumping JP Anderson on his way to the bench for the extra attacker.

This time the penalty kill wasn’t so lucky, as the Majors’ Rob Flick, standing along the goal line, was able to scoop one over an outstretched Binnington and into the upper part of the net to regain the lead 2-1.

The third period was tight, and the Majors’ bread-and-butter stingy defence came to play, clogging up the neutral zone and not allowing the Attack to gain any momentum.

The Attack pressured late in the final frame, however Anderson kept them off the scoresheet, and Justin Shugg scored on the empty net earning the 3-1 victory.

Binnington was another huge story for the Attack – even in the loss – stopping countless Majors shots from in close, including a spectacular glove save mid-way through the second period.

The Majors now move right to the semi-final on Friday, where they will face the winner of tomorrow’s tie-breaker game between the Attack and the Kootenay Ice.