Locals take silver at Allan Cup

By Tyler Lowey, Times Reporter

For the second year in a row, the Lacombe Generals had to see the Allan Cup get handed to another team.
After trailing 3-1 after the opening period of the 110th Allan Cup, the Generals battled back to tie the game heading into the final 20 minutes April 14 in Rosetown, Sask.
Ian Barteaux ripped one home 34 seconds into the third period for the Lacombe Generals, but the Stoney Creek Generals scored four unanswered goals to earn their first Allan Cup in franchise history.
For Lacombe, it was their third loss in four consecutive trips to Canada’s national senior AAA championship. It also marked another tough loss for a handful of local talent.
Born, raised and a product of the Strathmore Minor Hockey Association, Keenan Desmet was searching for his second national title in as many trips.
Desmet poured in a pair of goals and assists back in 2013 and was one of the Lacombe Generals top forwards again this year, as he tied for second on the team in scoring with four assists.
“I thought Keenan was one of our best forwards. It didn’t matter who we put him with – whatever line he was on, that was the best line in the game and probably in the whole tournament,” said Lacombe Generals Assistant Coach and local product Brett Thurston.
“I just tried to play my game. I wish I could have had a couple more goals, but that’s the way it goes sometimes,” said Desmet. “My line mates were really good, so I’d probably give them a lot of the credit. They worked hard all week and battled in the trenches.”
While it was a crack at another national title for many of the Lacombe Generals, new coach and Wheatland Athletic Association icon Devin Olson was searching for his first ring at the national level.
“Everything was a step up. The passing was a lot smoother and the execution on chances was amazing,” said Olson. “You couldn’t give the other team a chance or it was in the back of the net. The overall play of the tournament was incredible.”
After going through their bye-day on Day 1 of the tournament, the Generals skated to a 1-1 tie with the Rosetown Redwings April 10 at the AGT Foods Centre Arena.
“I think it was one of those things where we had to knock off some rust. We know Rosetown well, but they had already played one game and it took us a while to get going,” said Thurston, who won three Allan Cups as a player but is still searching for his first ring as a member of the coaching staff.
Needing a win to secure a bye into the semifinals, Lacombe cooked the eventual champion Stoney Creek club 5-3 April 11.
Desmet set up another local product Kyle Sheen for Lacombe’s second goal of the game, and also picked up an assist on the insurance marker from Nolan Huysmans at the 9:13 mark of the third.
“I thought we played a pretty solid game,” said Desmet. “We didn’t give them too many opportunities, our penalty kill was solid and we shut them down for the most part.”
Earning a bye into the semis, the Generals hosted the quarterfinal winner from the other side of the bracket, the Elsipogtog Hawks of New Brunswick.
“We played a flawless game. We outworked them and outcompeted them in every aspect; we had four lines rolling and shut down their top weapons offensively,” said Thurston.
Desmet set up the opening marker to Marshall in the second period, as the Generals picked up the 4-1 victory April 13, advancing to the championship which was aired nationally on TSN.
“We had some good opportunities, but they are a highly skilled team and capitalized on the chances we gave them,” said Desmet.
Lacombe’s penalty kill (89.3 per cent) and power play (12.5 per cent) were both higher than the tournament average, but cost them when it mattered the most.
Teegan Moore took a tripping penalty and Dylan Nowakowski got called for hooking 26 seconds apart in the first period, giving Stoney Creek a lengthy five-on-three power play.
“We got in a little penalty trouble in the first and that cost us,” said Desmet. “They scored on a five-on-three, but they were also able to get a full head of steam going from those chances.”
It was a difficult way for Lacombe to end their season, and commitment to another season with the hopes of ending the abbreviated drought is difficult to say with a long summer ahead. But what might help sway any of the local members of the Lacombe Generals to come back one more season is a guaranteed trip back to the Allan Cup next year, when they host the 111th installment of one of hockey’s oldest trophies. They will be searching for their fourth Allan Cup in franchise history.