Gryphins End Dundas’ Allan Cup Reign

by Mike Marasco

Allan Cup Hockey League were guaranteed to have one team advance to the Semifinals on Friday as the Dundas Real McCoys faced the host Wentworth Gryphins in the second quarterfinal game on Wednesday night. Throughout the regular and post seasons, the Gryphins won seven of the eight contests between the two teams.

Wentworth got an early chance to get on the board, but a big save by the McCoys’ Ryan Demelo. The Gryphins, however, would score nearly 90 seconds later when Mike Lomas connected a stretch pass to Kyle Lewis who went in and sent a backhand shot into the net. Marc-Anthony Simonetta then gave the tournament hosts a 2-0 lead when he tapped in a pass into the slot from Alex Hutchings at 8:34. Dundas would close out the scoring in the opening period as Shane Conacher collected the rebound from Cody Goloubef’s shot and put it past Joseph Murdaca.

Early in the middle stanza, Murdaca made a huge diving save to help his team hold the lead. Wentworth would go on to extend the lead to 4-1 on a tip-in goal on the power play by Remy Giftopoulos and a roofer from close in by Lewis 42 seconds apart from each other. The Gryphins could have had at least three more goals in the frame thanks to multiple odd man rushes but Demelo was able to hold them off. The McCoys had their best chance of the period on the power play when they rang the shot off the post.

Dundas got back within a pair of goals thanks to a Tim Carr tip in 5:46 into the third, as the McCoys were about to go on a power play. The Gryphins would go on and score twice in the period, Matt MacLeod netted the first at 14:27 by Matt MacLeod and then an empty netter by Cory Conacher with 2:03 left on the clock.

Murdaca got the win, allowing two goals on 32 shots, while Demelo took the loss making 42 saves on 47 shots.

With the conclusion of the quarterfinals, the semifinals are now set for Friday, April 25th. The afternoon game will see the St. John’s Rooftech Capitals and Clarenville Ford Caribous facing off at 3:30pm, then at 7:30pm, the Gryphins will take on the Minto 81’s. Both games will take place at the Harry Howell Arena in Flamborough, Ontario.

Upcoming Games
Friday April 25 – Semifinals
St. John’s vs Clarenville – 3:30pm
Wentworth vs Minto – 7:30pm

Saturday April 26 – Championship
SF Winner vs SF Winner – 3:00pm

The Allan Cup Challenge runs April 20th through the 26th at the Harry Howell Arena in Flamborough, Ontario, hosted by the Wentworth Gryphins. The Championship game on Saturday April 26th will be broadcast on CHCH TV as well as online on Parrot TV.

Fans can purchase tickets through the Eventbrite website (click here) or at the door on game day.

About Allan Cup Hockey (ACH) and the Allan Cup
Allan Cup Hockey (ACH), formerly Major League Hockey until 2011, is the top tier Canadian senior ice hockey league in the province of Ontario. Founded in 1990, as the Southwestern Senior “A” Hockey League, the ACH is a member of the Ontario Hockey Association and Hockey Canada. The ACH’s champion contends for the Allan Cup each year.

The Allan Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the senior ice hockey champions of Canada. It was donated by Sir Montagu Allan of Ravenscrag, Montreal, and has been competed for since 1909. The current champions are the Dundas Real McCoys, who captured the 2023 and 2024 Allan Cup in Dundas, Ontario.

Follow the Allan Cup Hockey League social media on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and now Bluesky.

For more information contact Allan Cup Hockey Commissioner Rick Richardson at 905-328-4727 or email: rickystar911@outlook.com