It was a promising opening to the 2013 Football Canada Cup for Team Saskatchewan as they shutout Team Nova Scotia in the tournament's first game in Moncton. On a day of blowouts to open the tournament, Team Saskatchewan set the pace in the game that was played at noon on the east coast, shutting out Nova Scotia and racking up what was a rather easy 16-0 win.
Yorkton's Peter Kozushka and Grey McKen were instrumental in the win as Kozushka opened up some wide holes on the line, including on the biggest play of the game for Team Sask when they scored a long touchdown on a swing pass directed to Kozushka's side of the field. That touchdown would be the tuning point as it would put Saskatchewan up 13-0 and they would never look back, adding a fourth quarter field goal to advance to Thursday where they will play Quebec.
Kozushka's blocking helped chew up the field as Saskatchewan controlled the ball for much of the opening game of the tournament, only putting up 16 points in a scoreline that was much closer than the talent of the two teams indicated.
Chipping in on a strong defensive performance by Team Sask, Grey McKen had a impressive start to the tournament at rush end. With the score close in the game's earlier stages, McKen beat the Nova Scotia offensive line and registered a huge sack to give Saskatchewan momentum.
After a good first showing, McKen and Kozushka as well as the rest of Team Sask will have to elevate their games as they take on Quebec in the battle of two very proud and talented football provinces. With a huge disparity in first day scorelines expect the game between Saskatchewan and Quebec to be much tighter. The game will be livestreamed online and will start at 7:30 p.m. Atlantic time.
