Tournament Champs!, News (Mitchell Minor Hockey)

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17-18 Novice LL 1 | Jan 07, 2018 | Mark Burtenshaw | 1599 views
Tournament Champs!
The Dodge Caravan Kids Novice LL1 participated in the Dairy Queen Challenge Cup in Exeter.

The Meteors' tournament got underway on Friday morning with a game against the Listowel Cyclones, Mitchell didn't waste anytime getting down to business scoring six 1st period goals by five different forwards. In each of the second and third periods Mitchell added two goals, to make the final a 10 - 0 drubbing of the Cyclones. 

On Friday afternoon the Meteors' played one of the South Huron Sabres teams. The game was going to prove more a challenge from the get go, with the Sabres testing the Meteors' defense time and time again. The Sabres struck first mid-way through the first period on a scramble for a rebound in front of the net. The Meteors continued to battle and show their cohesiveness as the 2nd period started. The defencemen turned it up a notch keeping the puck out of their end and the forwards did their part getting more shots on goal. Three minutes into the period Nolan Rolph tied the game on a great centering pass from Bryson Eickmeyer. Not 40 seconds later Ray Wolfe broke free from the defence on a great clearing pass off the boards from Tyler Burtenshaw, Wolfe made no mistake lifting the puck over the goalie's glove. With lots of action on both ends of the ice and about 5 minutes remaining in the period the Sabres would score the equalizer. However, on the ensuing face-off Hudson Porter carried the puck in for the eventual game winner. The game ended 4 to 2 for the Meteors when early in the 3rd period Jack Crowley put the game away for good. Goaltender Carter Harris kept his poise throughout the game turning away several more Sabres attempts for the remainder of the period.

Saturday's schedule had only one early game for the Meteors...but it was a doozy! Mitchell faced an evenly matched opponent in the Mount Brydges Cougars. This was a fast passed game from the get go, with both teams having several opportunities to break open the game. Finally, 3 minutes into the 1st period the Cougars struck first, Mitchell having been in the same situation in the game prior never looked dismayed and kept to their game plan. It payed off half-way through the 1st when Ray Wolfe on a great pass from Connor Wolfe put the puck in the back of the net. The Cougars broke the tie early in the 2nd period and that would be the only scoring of the 2nd period. Feeling the pressure to get back in the game, Mitchell played with a little more determination then the Cougars and tied the game when Porter stole the puck in the neutral zone and skated in alone to put it out of reach for the Cougar goalie and tie the game. But the excitement didn't end there...the Cougars answered and again went up one goal to make it 3 to 2 with a little under 10mins left in the 3rd period. Mitchell's defence again tightened the game up for the remainder of the 3rd period led by Lucas Bree, Reegan Vessie, Luke Krempien and Tyler Burtenshaw. In fine fashion the Meteors' offense came through and put the game away with Jack Crowley scoring the tying goal at 7:05, assisted by Nolan Rolph and Quiad Hoskin. The game winner came about 30 seconds later when Bryson Eickmeyer took a pass from Braden Baxter and that was the game, Mitchell winning 4 to 3, finishing a perfect 3 and 0 in their pool.

The Meteors' faced the other South Huron Sabres team in the first semi final game on Sunday morning. Once again Mitchell gave up the first goal putting themselves in a 1 to 0 hole after the 1st period. The Meteors' answered back with about 4 mins left in the 2nd when Dylan Dietrich passed the puck to Ray Wolfe for the game tying goal. A mostly one-sided remainder of the game saw the Meteors' break open the game with 4 goals in the 3rd by Wolfe, Porter, Eickmeyer and assists from Vessie and Porter. The Meteors' punched their ticket for the gold medal game.

In the championship game Mitchell again faced off against the Mount Brydges Cougars. The fans were treated to another fast paced exciting back and forth game, with the players on each team giving it their all. In the end Mitchell would never trail and again put the Cougars away 4 to 3. Two goals apiece from Porter and Ray Wolfe with assists from Crowley, Dietrich and Baxter. Mitchell finished the weekend a perfect 5 and 0! After the game the coaches remarked how proud they were of all the players and were impressed with how the team progressed throughout the tournament. Great work Meteors!!
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