Mendonca leads Canucks to 3-0 series lead
Mitch Mendonca is hoping to end his junior hockey career with back-to-back championships.
“It’s definitely something I am looking forward to and it’s something you work towards all season long to get to this point and keep going,” he said. “It’s my last year and I want to go out with a bang.”
Last season, the 20-year-old Thorold native won an Ontario Junior Hockey League championship with the Wellington Dukes and Tuesday night he took a step closer to another one with the Niagara Falls Canucks. The six-foot, 175-pound forward scored twice and added three helpers as the Canucks beat the Pelham Panthers 6-1 in the third game of their best-of-seven Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League, Golden Horseshoe Conference semifinal playoff series at the Gale Centre in Niagara Falls. The Canucks now has a 3-0 series lead.
Mendonca sees a lot of similarities between Wellington and Niagara Falls.
“The thing that I notice a lot like last year is that everyone is buying in, everyone is focused and everyone wants to win,” he said. “You have to have that mentality every game and you have to have everyone coming to practice.
“It has to be a winning mentality 24/7.”
Teammate Ben Evans was also part of that championship squad in Wellington.
“Him and I are trying to bring a little something, but everyone in the room is a piece of the puzzle and we just have to put it together,” Mendonca said.
Mendonca, who has 36 goals and 80 points in the regular season, is leading Niagara Falls in playoff scoring with 10 goals and 27 points in seven games.
“It’s my last year of junior and I am trying to make it last as long as I can,” he said. “It’s in the back of my head, but I try to brush it away every time it comes up.
“I play every game like it is my last any way.”
He is enjoying his playoff scoring spree, but spreads the credit around.
“My success comes from every single guy in that room and obviously my two teammates, (Justin) Kyle and Evans,” he said. “If the other guys in the room don’t work hard, I don’t get these opportunities.”
Canucks head coach Frank Pietrangelo loves what Mendonca provides to his squad.
“He has been great all year, but he has elevated his game that much more in the playoffs,” he said. “We played the first round without Justin Kyle who is our No. 1 centreman and a big part of our power play and Mitch and Benny (Evans) took it on their shoulders to carry our team.”
Tuesday’s win came off a workmanlike, efficient effort.
“It wasn’t an easy win by no means and I don’t think the score was indicative of the game,” Pietrangelo said. “It was an ugly, scrappy kind of game, but we got the win and that’s all that matters this time of year.”
Counting the regular season, the win was the 15th straight for the Canucks.
“These guys are driven, they want to be the best and they want to win a championship,” Pietrangelo said. “They come prepared.”
Pelham assistant Jason Pepin agreed his team played better than the final score indicated.
“I thought the game was pretty tight for the most part and both teams played well,” he said. “We had some letdowns and they took advantage of them. That’s a good hockey team over there and when you do that, they make you pay for it.”
Pelham didn’t help itself by going 0-9 on the power play.
“That’s a big key,” Pepin said. “Clearly in this series there has been a lot of power plays and you have to capitalize. We’re getting shots and coming close, but for some reason there’s not going in.”
STATS PACK
Canucks 6 Panthers 1
BPSN Star of the Game: Niagara Falls’ Mitch Mendonca with two goals and three assists.
For the Niagara Falls Canucks: Justin Kyle (4, 5); Ben Evans (9), Mitch Mendonca (9, 10); Matthew Riva (3).
For the Pelham Panthers: Matt Ruigrok (3).
Game stats: Shots on goal: By Niagara Falls on Brandon McCorriston 27; by Pelham on Zach Moore 32. Power plays: Niagara Falls 1-6, Pelham 0-9. Penalty minutes: Niagara Falls 52, Pelham 46.
Up next: Game 4 of the series go Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Pelham community centre.
SUPPORT US
On the right side of our web site, you will notice a yellow SUPPORT US button.
We are asking anyone who finds value in our work and is able to financially help us to click on the button and contribute whatever amount you feel is appropriate and can afford. There is no set amount. Any amount is appreciated.
The funds collected will be used to enhance and offset the expenses of running the web site.
