Silver Stick Champions, News, Novice A, U9, 2018-2019 (New Hamburg Hockey Association)

This Team is part of the 2018-2019 season, which is not set as the current season.
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Dec 04, 2018 | Scott Gerardi | 3174 views
Silver Stick Champions
The Erb Transport Novice A Huskies traveled to the Northumberland Silver Stick Regional Tournament over the weekend with hopes of claiming the top prize.  The Huskies knew the competition would be fierce, but they were up to the challenge.

The tournament started with a tough test against the Stittsville Rams.  The Huskies jumped to an early lead less then a minute into the game when Nathan Monahan opened the scoring, with assist coming from Carter McPhee and Brandon Wilhelm.  The Huskies struck again midway through the second period with a spectacular breakout, lead by defence partners Koby Hopf and Colton Griffith, as the puck was moved quickly up the ice all three forwards got in on the action with passes that resulted with Gavin Mueller finding the back of the net and assist coming from Jack Pietraszko and Oliver Warden.  Only moments later Nathan Monahan struck again with wonderful individual effort for his second of the game to make it 3-1.  In the third period the Huskies kept the pressure on the Rams which resulted in 2 goals scored unassisted by Mason Woodley, making it 5-1.  The Rams would not give up and potted their only goal with 2 minutes remaining in the contest.  New Hamburg goalie, Brayden Thomson stood on his head for the win, and a great start to the tournament.

Game 2 brought us to the old Memorial barn in Cobourg.  This showdown was with the Kanata Blazers.  The Blazers opened strong and scored 1:09 into the game to take the lead.  The Huskies responded a couple of minutes later when Oliver Warden riffled a shot past the Kanata goalie to knot the game.  Half way through the second period Mason Woodley broke the game open with two goals in less then a minute with assist coming from Kipton Hodge on both.  The Huskie momentum was halted with another Kanata goal a minute later, but it didn't last long when Logan Azzopardi received a pass from Woodley and cushioned the Huskie lead again.  The third period started fast when Keagen Ceccato was sent on a breakaway by a perfect clearing pass by Logan Boulton, Ceccato's burst of speed gave him the advantage over the goalie and he ripped a shot into the net to make it 5-2.  With 1:30 left in the game, Nathan Monahan buried a lose puck to seal the deal and make it 6-2 for the Huskies.  Goalie Brennen Brietenstein had a solid performance in net for New Hamburg in the win.

Game 3 took place early Saturday morning and would prove to be a turning point for the Huskies.  The tilt was against the Napanee Stars.  The Stars were without their top player who has recently finished receiving specialized cancer treatments in Boston.  The emotion of playing for their sidelined comrade was felt early on by the Huskies.  Napanee came out flying and never let up scoring their first goal 3 minutes into the game.  Less then 2 minutes later Carter McPhee tied the game with help from Keagen Ceccato and Nathan Monahan.  Moments later the Stars found the back of the net again to take the lead.  The Huskie team was overwhelmed and frustrated by the wire to wire effort by the Stars and could never get going, every opportunity was shut down by the defense or turned away by the Napanee goalie.  New Hamburg lost 2-1 to the better team that morning.

The 4th game was unique in that it didn't count for the Huskies but it did for their opponent, the Stirling Blues.  The Blues entered the tournament undefeated in their regular season just like the Huskies and were looking to walkaway with the points. The Huskies opened the scoring at the 8:42 mark of the first period when Carlo Gerardi fed the puck to Nathan Monahan in the slot, he didn't waste time to bury the biscuit.  A few minutes later Mason Woodley rushed the puck up the wing and with the skill of a surgeon laid the puck out for Nathan Monahan who netted his second of the period, 2-0 Huskies.  A minute later Stirling cut into the lead on a scramble in the Huskie crease that ended up in the net, 2-1.  With 1:46 left in the first period defensemen Hudson Bradshaw and Brandon Wilhelm worked together to clear the Huskie zone which result in assist for them as Mason Woodley found room to move and made Stirling pay by giving New Hamburg a 3-1 lead going into the second period.  The period proved to be a war of attrition, as both teams skated up and down the ice and shot after shot was turned away by Brennen Brietenstein and the Blues goalie.  Defensemen Koby Hopf held the blueline and secured the puck for Jack Pietraszko in the offensive zone, Jack centred the puck to Nathan Monahan as he added a 3rd goal of the game to the score sheet.  The third period saw the Blue scored 2 more times to bring the game within 1 goal, but Carter McPhee sealed the deal at the 6:19 mark of the 3rd period with assist from Logan Azzopardi and Colton Griffith.  Huskies win 5-3.

Game 5 was a rematch with the Kanata Blazers in the semi final.  New Hamburg jump to an early 3-0 lead with 2 goals from Logan Azzopardi and 1 from Nathan Monahan and assist coming from Carter McPhee, Oliver Warden, Gavin Mueller, Kipton Hodge and Keagen Ceccato.  The Blazers would finish the period by scoring with 0.1 seconds on the clock to make it 3-1.  In the second and third periods the Huskies focused on strong defensive zone play.  Oliver Warden and Carter McPhee added to the Huskies total with assist from Carlo Gerardi and Jack Pietraszko. Goalie Brayden Thompson locked the fort down for the entire game and earned the game MVP. The Huskies would win the semi final in convincing fashion with a 5-1 score that setup a showdown with the Stirling Blues for the championship.

The championship game was a barn burner.  The Huskies quickly fell behind when Stirling opened the scoring 1:24 into the contest.  The Huskies responded quickly when Nathan Monahan fed the puck into the slot where Mason Woodley wasted no time finding the back of the net.  Heading into the second period the pace was torrid, with both teams moving up and down the ice at blistering speed.  Oliver Warden connected with Logan Azzopardi who was in full stride, Logan bullied his way through the Blues defence and buried the puck into the twine to make it 2-1 for the Huskies.  Just 8 seconds later Jack Pietraszko and Mason Woodley worked hard on the boards to control the puck, eventually sending Nathan Monahan to the net for his second goal of the game, 3-1 Huskies.  The goaltending of Brennen Brietenstein and defensive play of Koby Hopf, Brandon Wilhelm, Hudson Bradshaw, Colton Griffith, Carlo Gerardi and Logan Boulton shut down the high flying offense of the Blues in the second period.  The third period saw both teams with multiple scoring opportunities but it was the Blues that capitalized twice midway through and made it a 3-3 score.  The Huskies players could have wilted like a flower but they didn't, hard working  forwards Kipton Hodge and Keagen Ceccato grinding it out for the Huskies allowing Gavin Mueller to get the glory with the Huskies 4th goal of the game to make it 4-3 New Hamburg.  Just 42 seconds later Carter McPhee had a great individual effort to pot the insurance goal sealing the win for the Huskies and ensuring their invitation to the International Silver Stick Finals in Pelham this coming January.
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