Cup Preview?

Tonight the Thistles and Millionaires faced each other for the first time since skating to a 2-2 tie a couple of weeks ago. Here in the second half of the season, these two franchises have cemented their status as the teams to beat and they entered the game tied for first place -- although the Thistles have more wins, so technically they hold the top spot. Could this be a preview of the Creighton Cup finals?

The Thistles found themselves in penalty trouble early and often, but the Millionaires' inept power play failed to cash in. In fact, Thistles center Tommy "Tools" Smith potted a short-hander on the team's very first shot on goal. After that rude awakening, the Millies went on the offensive, peppering Riley Hern with a baker's dozen shots but without denting the twine.

The second period found both teams settling into a measured pace. Barney Stanley, the league's leading scorer, had one quality chance, but otherwise found himself harried by Thistles captain Tommy Phillips every time he touched the puck. About five minutes into the second, defenseman Graham Drinkwater found a wide-open Harry Watson, who beat Hern for the Millies' first goal. Later in the period, star defenseman Hod Stuart scored on Smith's rebound to make 2-1 in favor of the Thistles. Shortly thereafter, however, Tommy Tools took a penalty and Millies captain Art Farrell rifled home a shot from the point to tie the game at two apiece.

Not much happened in the first half of the third. Phillips made it interesting with a power-play goal to put the Thistles up by a goal for the third time, but rookie Duke Keats knotted the game at three with a goal of his own in the waning moments of the third. 

In the end, not much was settled tonight. I hope we see these two heavyweights clash again in the finals!