Jan 24, 2017 | Jason Mervyn | 782 views
Gene Harrington Champions
Congratulations to the Minor Peewee MD White Wolves on their amazing win against the George Bell Titans, earning the title of Champions of the Gene Harrington Winter Ice Experience in Niagara Falls, NY!
The Wolves had solid performances in all three round robin games, first winning against the Buffalo Stars 1-0 at an early morning game at a rink that was tricky to find! Hunter had no problem finding the net and scored the only goal in that game, Chafe with the shutout.
The team headed back to the hotel for some rest, then headed to downtown Buffalo to play at the unique Riverworks outdoor rink. The ice was a little slow due to the much warmer than normal temperatures, but our crew adjusted and beat the Rochester Youth Americans 3-2. Goals were scored by Beckner (assisted by Haig), Walsh (assisted by Gibbs) and Mervyn (assisted by Jyrkama.)
Saturday was a gorgeous day, warm and filled with sunshine. The mood in the arena was a little darker as we battled the George Bell Titans . Both teams were coming into the 3rd game undefeated. The winner was guaranteed to move on to the finals. Our boys rallied, but were a bit thrown by the speed of the Titans wingers. Our Wolves figured that out, adjusted strategy and started to battle back. Two gorgeous goals happened. The first, from Beckner (assisted by Ye and Wolfe), and the second by Schaefer from the point (assisted by Gould). Unfortunately it wasn’t enough and the Wolves lost 3-2. The boys were disappointed, until the official news reached their ears. They had made it to the finals based on a one goal differential… over one of our closest competitors, Burlington Red. The boys were thrilled! An early curfew ensured everyone had a good night’s sleep, and we headed back to the outdoor Riverworks rink on Sunday for the finals.
Another chance to battle the George Bell Titans! The game started off cautiously as the players adjusted to the softer ice and a much slower puck. The Wolves played hard and smart right from the beginning, beating the Titans to the puck and putting in a huge effort to gain control of the game. No goals were scored until the middle of the second period, giving the Titans a 1-0 lead over the Wolves. Then, an amazing positional goal from Hunter, who got out in front of their defenders, stayed calm, and flicked the puck in their net, ending the second period in a 1-1 tie. The Wolves come into the 3rd period hungry for more. Shot after shot kept the Titans goalie busy. Schaefer shot from the point, rebounded to Hunter who scored, giving the Wolves a 2-1 lead with 8 minutes left. The Wolves got a power play, but couldn't get another goal. Then it was a Wolves penalty with 2:19 left in the game. The fans were on eggshells…knowing that it would likely turn into a 6 vs 4 game with an empty Titans net. We were right. The Titans pulled their goalie with 1 minute to go, and started attacking. The Wolves kept them at bay, hitting the puck out of our zone as soon as they got it and making dramatic saves. The effort payed off, and the Waterloo Wolves won the Championship game 2-1.
It was an amazing, memorable weekend! Thanks to everyone who helped make it happen!