(by team reporter Albert Ross)
The EJ’s Bantam Husky AEs travelled to Georgina
on December 12 to take part in the Regional Silver Stick Tournament and came
home as Finalists after three days of intense action. The odyssey began when
they faced off against the Clarington Toros for game one of the three-game
round robin portion of the tournament.
The Dogs found themselves down by two after two periods in spite of outplaying and outshooting their opponent. They finally solved the Toros goalie riddle late in the third when Nic Egli deflected in Mason Wagner’s cross-crease pass but it was too little too late. The Huskies had to accept the 2 – 1 loss and soberly prepared for their next matchup against the Ajax Knights set to go that evening.
It was a very different Husky team that hit the ice, registering 3 goals after one period of play. Matt Sommerville bagged the first on a breakaway that Jackson Gerber followed with a pad-rebound slap-in getting help from Sommerville and Danny O’Connell. Sommerville secured the third point by tipping in a shot from Gerber. The Knights rebounded in the second but some nice goal tending by Carter Schwartzentruber kept his team in front. Josh Potts added to the Husky total by picking a top corner with the assists going to Jacob Ertel and Owen Ross. Sommerville earned a hat trick in the third with Ertel and Dale Jurica riding shotgun. Ertel added his own marker moments later by banking a shot off the goalie’s equipment with the helpers going to Danny Farrish and Potts. The Knights struck back and potted two quick goals before the Huskies closed them down for good. The finisher came when Emmet Latyn broke the puck out to Egli who stretch-passed it to Sam Miller who made no mistake on the breakaway. It was a dominating 7 – 2 win that kept the Huskies in the hunt for the big prize.
The final round-robin game on Saturday morning was a must-win for the Huskies if they wanted to advance to the semi-finals. They faced the hometown favourites, the Georgina Blaze, in what was some of the grittiest play the Dogs ever put on ice. Sommerville was again the trigger-man when he picked up a pass from Gerber and rushed in from center-ice to beat the goalie on the backhand. The Blaze had their hands full and failed to answer until mid-way through the second when a breakaway play evened the contest. It was trench warfare as both teams battled for advantage. The Dogs were giving no ground in spite of taking penalties and Zack Robinson proved to be a wall in net. With less than six minutes remaining, the Huskies found the net to take the lead. Alex Kyle’s rocket from the point rebounded and was picked up by Wagner, who shoveled it over to Ertel, who scored. With time running out, the Blaze pulled their goalie but Robinson was again the game saver allowing the Huskies to take the 2 – 1 decision.
It was enough to propel them into the semi-finals Sunday morning where they faced the Guelph Gryphons. Both teams hit the ice with determination and net-minder Schwartzentruber was forced to be sharp as Guelph put pucks to the net. Having faced nine credible shots and stymying the Gryphons, his own team rallied late in the second to turn the tables. Jurica got the puck deep to Sommerville who was positioned behind the Guelph net. He found a Husky in the slot, made the pass and Gerber put his team on the scoreboard. The Dogs continued to pressure and got the insurance marker when Kyle raced in and roofed it unassisted. It was do-or-die for the Gryphons and they pulled their goalie at the 2-minute mark. The Pack dug in and took the 2 – 0 shutout win to secure their spot in the finals on Sunday.
As fate would have it they were facing the Georgina Blaze in what would become a sea-saw physical battle of wills. The Blaze were hungry to win on home ice and it showed in their first period performance. Robinson was again backstopping the Dogs and he kept the match scoreless after one until his team could rally. And rally they did! Miller found the mark from the face-off circle after taking a feed from Egli and opened the scoring. It was fast and furious action as the Blaze rebounded but the Husky defense was working well. Wyatt Rempel, Farrish, Ross, Jurica, Kyle and Latyn were blunting the Blaze attacks and bought time for their forwards to get their game on. The Huskies struck again early in the third when Ertel punched one in getting help from Sommerville and Tyson Wagler. Things seemed to be going well for the Dogs but a controversial tripping call against the Pack saw the Blaze rebound just as the penalty expired on a screened shot. More heartache was in store for the Pack as two more penalties were levied which the Blaze quickly capitalized on. Down by one, the Huskies were again, stunned by an even strength Blaze rush to the net. With time bleeding away, coach Jeff Gerber, pulled his goalie for a last-ditch effort but it was too late. The boys played better than anyone could have asked for and in spite of taking a 4 – 2 loss, they are definitely winners! They have the honourable distinction of being the first AE Husky team to make it to a Regional Silver Stick final since New Hamburg became a single-A center. Congratulations Huskies!