Nov 20, 2011 | Paul Holba | 1970 views
Ayr Tournament Peewee Champions!
It was a great weekend for the Peewee Local League #3 Huskies.
On Friday, the team defeated Ayr 4-1. Saturday started early, with 5-3 win for the Huskies over Tavi then an afternoon match against Delhi. A tough checking Delhi team ultimately went down 3-2, setting the stage for a Sunday final against Thornton. Third time in three years these two teams have faced each other in a tournament final.
After regulation time, the game was tied 1-1. Overtime proved nothing so it was on to a shootout. In the sixth round of the sudden death, Tucker Bowman put one past the Thornton goalie while Colton Holba stoned their shooter. Huskies win!!
Congratulations boys!
For all the details...
The New Hamburg Peewee LL#3 team travelled to Ayr for the 14th Annual Ayr Hockey Challenge on the weekend of November 18-20th. The tournament started Friday with the Oak Grove Cheese Huskies taking on the Ayr Flames. The Huskies started strong, with three first period goals. Tucker Bowman started it all off, followed by goals from Daniel O’Connell and Gryphon Myers. Taylor Okum grabbed a couple of assists along with a nice set up from Josh Potts. The Huskies added another one in the third with a beautiful goal from Nash McConnell. Strong defensive play by Cole Hutchinson, Austin Hartman and the always strong partnership of Alex Gruhl and Brandon Ward shut the Flames down before Ayr pulled their goalie and scored with 16 seconds left on a 6 on 4 to make the final 4-1.
Saturday morning saw the Huskies against Tavi for an early morning affair. Bowman opened the scoring again. McConnell added his second of the tournament. Taylor Okum scored in the second for a 3-1 lead. In the third, Montana Flood made it 4-1 Huskies thanks to Daniel Farrish’s second assist of the game. After a Tavistock goal, Josh Potts made it 5-2 for New Hamburg. A late goal Tavistock goal with just 6 seconds left in the game on yet another 6 on 4 made the final score 5-3.
After a fun Skills Competition where Colton Holba won the goalie portion of the challenge, the Huskies travelled to the old Ayr arena where they faced a tough Delhi squad. The winner of this game would end up in Sunday’s final game. After a scoreless first where Holba stopped Delhi on four breakaways, Delhi opened up the scoring late in the second. One minute later, Nash McConnell replied for the Huskies after a nice assist by Joel Egerdee and Flood making it 1-1 until one minute left when Delhi scored making it 2-1 Delhi after two periods. It all came down to the third. Winner of the period goes on, loser goes home. At 7:24, Gryphon Myers banged one in and then, with only 41 seconds left, Dylan Hempey carried the puck the length of the ice and after a fancy dangle and a kick off his skate that baffled the Delhi defence he delivered a memorable top shelf shot to put the Huskies ahead for good 3-2.
At the final game Sunday, the Huskies faced their old nemesis, the Thornton Tigers. These teams have met up three years in a row in a tournament final on this very November weekend. In a penalty filled game that saw may five on three opportunities for both squads, the Tigers scored first on a four on one break. Mason Wagner tied the score early in the third with his first goal. After a long injury delay, the game resumed with less than three minutes left still tied 1-1. Regulation time ended with the teams knotted at 1. A 5 minute 4 on 4 overtime solved nothing so the game went to a shootout. The first three shooters scored one each, with Hempey beating the Thornton goalie. The Huskies were on to a sudden death shootout. After a nail biting couple of scoreless rounds, along came the sixth round. While Holba stoned the Thornton shooter at one end, Bowman snuck one past the Tigers’ goalie at the other. Game over! Huskies win!!