Shockwave cap off dream season with championship

by Scott Ludwig

2019 was a banner year for the St. Catharines Shockwave who set a league-best regular season record of 13-1, their lone blemish a 14-9 loss to the Six Nations Snipers on March 24. After eliminating defending league champion Whitby Steelhawks in the ALL Cup semifinals St. Catharines had one more challenge ahead - Paris RiverWolves in the championship game. It was a challenge the team was up to winning the first trophy in franchise history with an 8-6 victory.

Paris arrived to the ALL Cup Final, their second straight appearance, after defeating Oshawa Outlaws 14-13 in their semifinal game. Coming into the game the RiverWolves (8-8) were huge underdogs having dropped all three head-to-head matchups during the season being outscored 59-31.

This game was different though with neither team leading by more than a goal until Dylan Laprade gave the Shockwave a 7-5 advantage at 5:46 of the third quarter. It was a short-lived advantage though as Cole Spear answered the tally just :47 later.

The score would remain 7-6 for over 15 minutes as the two teams battled until the final whistle. Josh Becker scored off a rocket from the outside with 1:44 remaining in regulation to seal the win for St. Catharines.

Goaltender Chase Martin was named ALL Cup MVP giving up just six goals in the final. He also assisted on the game winning goal.

"The ShockWave were the best team in the ALL from start to finish and we haven't had a team complete that task until this season" stated ALL President Paul St. John. "Ron Henry and his coaching staff started this process 3 years ago when we launched the ALL and today they were rewarded for all their hard work. The players bought into and believed that their coaching style would eventually lead them to a Championship, they executed a well thought out game plan to beat the defending champs in their semi-final win over Whitby, and then battled a pesky Paris RiverWolves team that just wouldn't go away in the ALL Cup final, congratulations to everyone involved with the ShockWave." 

The championship wraps up what must be seen as a three year long journey for the Shockwave franchise. St. Cathariness posted a 7-7 record in the inaugural season of 2017 then an 8-6 finish in 2018. This season saw 15 wins and most importantly the ALL Cup.