Oct 26, 2017 | Martin Mirt | 920 views
St Marys Midget AE Tournament Champions
We had a beautiful summer weekend for our first Tournament of the year. It was the first time all the boys were playing a game together. The boys played a solid defensive style of hockey that netted them the Championship. Zero goals allowed in the five games was evidence to that. Great goal tending, defense played strong, the forwards back checked well, and a solid fore check made it difficult for our opponents to get much going. 78 minutes in penalties in 5 games, allowed for many opportunities to work on the penalty kill. They did a great job holding down the fort. Congratulations on a solid effort.
We started out against Strathroy. We were more physical and controlled most of the play. Regardless of the fact that we out chanced them, we couldn't bury the biscuit. Their goalie stood on his head several times and the result was a 0-0 tie.
Game 2. We meet Penetang who lost a close one 1-0 in their first game. It turned out to be a penalty filled game 7 for Penetang and 8 for us. We opened the scoring short handed in the first, it was MacClaurin from Mirt and Jurica. Scoreless 2nd. We take a penalty early in the 3rd. Face off at centre, Scheid wins the draw forward and Boshart pokes the puck past the D and goes in all alone, fore hand to back hand and we're up 2-0. Still short handed, we shoot the puck in deep and ring the puck around the boards. Eddy stops the puck at the blue line and blasts one top shelf, 3-0. 2 shorthanded goals in 21 seconds. 3 shorty's in one game, doesn't happen to often. That was our final, we're off to play Huntsville to wrap up the round robin.
Game 3. Huntsville comes in with a win and a loss, but we just need to play our game and do our jobs. We are solid for the most of the play and again don't give up many opportunity's. Midway through the game Boshart picks off the puck in Huntsville's end right in the high slot, he feeds Bruckman on the right side who re directs it behind the tender for the only goal of the game. New Hamburg 1, Huntsville 0. Off to the semis.
Game 4. Penetang in the semis, we managed to get 9 penalties as opposed to the 8 we got last time we met. So lots of practice on the penalty kill once again. Early in the first, 1:20 in Sommerville has a shot blocked in the slot and Mirt picks up the loose puck and goes top cheddar on the blocker side to get the ball rolling. We are shorthanded for 8 of the 10 minutes in the 2nd period and the penalties are 6 for us and 1 for them after the 2nd. Early in the 3rd Mirt tips a loose puck on net and when the defender try's to clear it out of the air he adds to Mirt's total giving his 2nd of the game. The ref feels some compassion for us in the 3rd and give Penetang 5 penalty's to our 3 in the 3rd and they can't get anything started. Final score New Hamburg 2, Penetang 0, off to the final.
Game 5. We meet Strathroy again to wrap up the weekend. We come out of the gate on fire. Lots of pressure in their end with a couple missed chances. We keep sending pucks to the net and O'Connell burys a loose puck 45 seconds into the game. That was all we needed, solid game with constant pressure kept Strathroy on their heels for entire game. The Strathroy goalie made some more excellent saves on scrambles and point blank slap shots. New Hamburg wins 1-0.
All in all great effort from the boys. Goalies looked confident and controlled what they could never really giving up any huge rebounds for the opponents. For the most part the D was able to get the puck out of our zone efficiently and that's half the battle right there. We were not offensive juggernauts this weekend, but we did enough to win the games, kept after it shift after shift and came home Champions. Once again, Congratulations on a job well done.
Coach Martin