Mar 29, 2016 | Martin Mirt | 1278 views
Minor Midget Select Champions
WOW, Excellent weekend boys. The 45th Shamrock Tournament Champions, by a mile. Great start, a bit of a hiccup in game 2, and then pure domination to the finish.
Pickering Panthers to get us started, 5-2 final. A little penalty heavy so the lines were off quite a bit, but getting up 4-0 took the wind out of their sails and we had game #1 put to bed.
Game #2 the Oshawa Hawks, this game tested our resolve. How were we going to handle having to come from behind (four times) in this eventfull roller coaster of a game. Taking 26 minutes of penalties in a 30 minute game made managing the lines interesting. We had lines on the ice we never had before. Going down 2-0 early after they scored on a penalty shot set the stage. We made it 2-1, 10 seconds into our bounce back shift, and then with 12 seconds left in the 1st, tied things up at 2. 22 seconds into the 2nd we were down 3-2. With the penalties we were playing some 4 on 4 now. 2 1/2 minutes into the 2nd we tie things up at 3. 5 seconds later we are down 4-3. We can't believe it but we need to press on. 16 seconds into the next shift we tie things up at 4's. Ok, now we lets get down to business. Halfway through the 2nd less than 2 minutes apart the Hawks blast in 2 more and we are down 6-4 to end the 2nd period. 6:32 of the 3rd we pot one to bring us within one. In the next 58 seconds we bend twine two more times to take our first lead 7-6. The Hawks are having some rather loud conversations on their bench. They keep coming and pull the goalie. With 30 seconds left they get one and the game ends in a 7-7 tie. Way to continue to fight back time and again. Hopefully we got giving up that many goals out of our system.
Need to win game 3 VS the host West Hill Golden Hawks. Halfway through the first we get 2 goals in a minute. West Hill gets one before the 1st ends and it's 2-1 Wolves after 1. No scoring in the 2nd. The boys just need to keep doing what they are doing. West Hill rarely has the puck but we haven't been able to bury the biscuit. Then 1 minute into the 3rd the dam broke. 3-1 Wolves. Next minute 4-1, 30 seconds later 5-1. 1 minute later 6-1. 2 minutes later 7-1. and finally 3 minutes later 8-1 and that was the final. NOT ONE PENALTY, way to go. Finished 1st in our pool and we are off to the Semi Final.
The Barrie Colts are up next, Quick start, 1 minute in we're up 1-0. We control the play early and after the first its a 3-1 lead Wolves. No scoring in the 2nd. The 3rd was our period again and early in the 3rd we had a 3 goal run in 1 1/2 minutes to go up 6-1. One more for good measure and the final is 7-1 and we are headed to the finals.
The Whitby Wildcats just made quick work of the Oshawa Hawks beating them 5-1. This sets up a rematch of the Final in the Richmond Hill Tournament. Whitby is the home team, having scored 28 goals in the round robin, the Wolves were only able to muster up 27. The boys were their regular selves getting set for the big game. Whitby didn't know what hit them. The Wolves came out flying, and after the first shift they kicked into gear taking a 3-0 lead in the first period. The second continued where it left off as we went up 5-0 and things were looking great. Whitby pots one in the final minute of the 2nd to make it 5-1 after 2. First minute in the 3rd Whitby gets another one and it's 5-2. We need to bring up the intensity and finish what we started. Whitby takes a penalty late and we take advantage to make it 6-2. A pushing match in front of the net over a territorial dispute ends up getting us a penalty. Apparently it doesn't take two to tango. We are little frustrated with the lopsided decision. The boys jump out and pound in a shorty to put a nail in the coffin. Let's call it a weekend. 45th Shamrock Champions, well deserved, proud of the effort, a total team performance.
The Alliance is the final chapter in this years story, I think you are prepared to write a great ending. Looking forward to it. Congrat's to the Minor Midget Select Wolves.
Coach Martin