parpho@rogers.com

/2/2012 9:55:00 PM
KINGSTON, Ont. (February 2, 2012) - Kelly Jackson of Toronto scored two goals, including the game winner, and added an assist as the Queen's Gaels (13-10-2) topped the RMC Paladins (3-21-2) by a 4-1 score in the 26th edition of the Carr-Harris Cup in front of 2,576 fans at the K-Rock Centre.

The first period was a slow, back and forth frame for the two teams as neither seemed to establish as rhythm in the offensive zone. With both teams using a dump and chase system for the majority of the period, scoring opportunities were limited to scrambles in the slot and neither side could break the deadlock. They entered the first period tied at zero.

The Gaels were the first to score midway through the second period as Jordan Mirwaldt of Winnipeg slid a backhand shot past Andrew Flemming of Quispamsis, N.B., after the puck took a deflection off of Jordan Soquila of Maple Ridge, B.C. Mirwaldt set the play up when he dropped a pass for David Chubb of St. George's, Nfld. Chubb's slap shot took the ricochet off of Soquila to Mirwaldt who slipped the puck past a diving Flemming with a nice move.

Jackson added to the Gaels lead with the eventual game winner as he spun away from a defender at the point with the Gaels attacking. As Jackson stepped out from the sideboards and into the faceoff circle, he beat Flemming with a hard wrister over his glove hand and just under the crossbar.

The Gaels two goal lead was short-lived as the Paladins responded off of the ensuing draw. After the faceoff a Paladins dump in caught Queen's flat footed on the backcheck. As a Gaels defender sprawled in front of the goal crease after catching an edge on the ice, Matthew Pinder of Calgary put a seeing-eye wrist shot past fellow Calgary native Riley Whitlock who was screened by the downed defender. The goal came just seven seconds after Jackson had doubled the Gaels lead and the Paladins entered the frame with momentum in their favour.

Queen's came out strong after the second intermission and restored their two goal lead shortly after. Tyler Moore of Winnipeg beat Paladins goaltender Matthew Beirnes of Barrie, Ont., who played the third period for RMC. Jackson, who assisted on Moore's eighth goal of the season, scored the clincher seven minutes later on a looping shot which bounced off of Beirnes and into the goal. The Gaels came on strong to close out the game, outshooting the Paladins 15-9, but couldn't add to their lead while Whitlock held down the fort in the backend, stopping all nine RMC shots.

The win was the Gaels fourth of the season over the Paladins and second consecutive win by a 4-1 margin. In the Carr-Harris Cup, the win gives the Gaels five consecutive victories in the series and moves their record to 16-8-2 all-time.

"It was a great atmosphere and obviously a playoff situation any time you play RMC," said Gaels captain Jonathon Lawrance of Steinbach, Man. "Playing in a game like this it's easy to get fired up, especially with a great crowd like we had tonight."

Whitlock continued his stellar season with a 24 save performance on 25 shots from the Paladins. He outduelled the RMC duo of Flemming and Beirnes who combined to make 35 saves on 39 shots from Queen's. With the win, the Gaels move into sole possession of sixth place in the OUA with 28 points.

"The two points were the biggest part of the game for us tonight," said Jackson, the Gaels MVP of the game.