The Hoegy Farm Supply Peewee ‘AEs’ opened the 56th Annual Peewee Tourney against Ilderton Friday Afternoon.
Midway through the opening period Nic Baker put the host team up 1-0 with help from Steven Bird and Luke O’Rourke. Both sides would trade physical play until the final minute of the first period when Ilderton took the first penalty of the game.
To start the second period Mitchell’s Kurtis Eisler cashed in with a power-play marker with an assist from Jack O’Rourke. Three minutes later Jack O’Rourke hit the score sheet twice more in one shift with a goal assisted by Tyler Smith followed up by a solo effort to increase the lead to 4-0.
The host team looked to be well on their way to controlling the game with rock solid net minding by Tanner Knechtel until Ilderton finally converted on a power play to get on the board with 5:31 left to play to make it 4-1.
Fifty seconds later Ilderton would score again followed by a third 8 seconds after to quickly make the game into a tight 4-3 contest. Mitchell would take a penalty which resulted in another power play goal for Ilderton to even up the board with 21 seconds remaining. The hard work of Knechtel all game between the pipes was rewarded with the tie and the ‘Player of the Game’ award.
Mitchell would come out on top with 3 of the 5 points in the points per period format.
Game # 2 of the same evening would be against Tavistock. As in the two exhibition games earlier in the season it was evident this would be another close contest. Both teams would trade equal penalties in the first period. Brett DeJong started the scoring for the home side from a feed by Riley Sykes.
Half-way through the second Tyler Smith netted a short handed goal to make it 2-0. Tavistock replied 28 seconds later to close the gap to 2-1. Both teams would trade scoring chances in the third until Tavistock converted on a power play midway through the period to create the deadlock at 2-2. Mitchell ran into penalty problems but weathered the storm due to solid goaltending by Aaron McNeil. With just over a minute to play Curtis Lockhart fed Quaid Austin with a pass in the high slot and Austin buried it to put the host team up 3-2 for the win. Aaron McNeil would prove to be the difference in net for the Mitchell team picking up the ‘Player of the Game’ award. Mitchell took 4 out of 5 points.
Game #3 to conclude the Round Robin play for the Mitchell squad would take place Saturday morning versus Lambton Shores.
The play by both teams proved to be entertaining with action in both ends and solid goaltending by both sides. In the first period Mitchell was able to kill off three penalties and Lambton Shores killed off two penalties respectively. Things settled down in the second and both refrained from penalties and played solid defensive hockey keeping the scoreboard blank going into the final frame.
At the ten minute mark of the third Luke O’Rourke scored to make it 1-0 Mitchell with Brett DeJong and Nic Baker assisting. With 3 minutes to go Kurtis Eisler solidified the win with an unassisted goal to make it 2-0.
Staying to form Tanner Knechtel once again proved that Mitchell goaltending made the difference and came away with the ‘Player of the Game’ award. Mitchell picked up 4 of 5 points to end the round robin play with 11.
The Semi-final game will take place Sunday @ 8:00 am.