Mimico Mountaineers in Control of Crombie Cup Race with 17-9 Victory over Toronto Beaches

PHOTO: SAM HOSSACK

The season series winner between the Mimico Mountaineers and Toronto Beaches is awarded the Crombie Cup in memory of Greg Crombie, a prominent builder in the history of both organizations. The Mountaineers have won the friendly showdown five of the six times it has been awarded. On Saturday night in Mimico the Mountaineers won 17-9 to put themselves in good position to capture the Crombie Cup again. 

It was a tight first period with both teams scoring three different times. The usual suspects were in on the run – Willem Firth for the Beaches and Finlay Thompson for Mimico – as was Cornell’s CJ Kirst with his first appearance and first goal in the OJLL. Zach Miller gave the Beaches a 3-2 lead with a power play goal that was quickly answered by Justin Lee. Lucas Dudemaine’s power play goal tied the game at four, but also led to a Mimico run of three goals in 29 seconds to eventually lead 6-5 after the first. 

Another three goal run opened the second period before Firth’s second of the game and twenty-third of the season broke the streak. Firth’s hat trick goal followed later when a Beaches shot hit off a defender and bounced directly to the reigning OJLL Rookie of the Year and MVP for a wide open net. Mimico scored six in the period to lead 12-7 going into the final frame. 

The third period saw a Mimico 4-1 run over a 4:03 span. If that run didn’t put the game away - Mimico executing a beautiful passing play on the man advantage with Alex Roussel, the eventual beneficiary, certainly did. It also spelled the end of the night for one of the league’s top goaltenders. Andrew Kidd was pulled for the first time in a loss all season after allowing 17 goals on 48 shots. Matt Collison scored his second of the game, a shot that quickly went in and out of the top corner, but it was not enough as Mimico cruised to its third home win of the season, 17-9. 

OJLL point leader Finn Thomson added 10 points to his season total (2 goals, 8 assists) now giving him 57 on the season in eight games. That’s four above Willem Firth who had four in the game (3 goals, 1 assist). His league-leading sixth hat trick of the season has him atop the OJLL in goals with 25, two more than Mimico’s Isiah Moran-Weekes who finished Saturday night with two more (and an assist). 

Toronto Beaches head to Brampton (1-6) on Sunday, while Mimico will travel to the ILA on Monday to face Six Nations (3-3).