Wow, what a weekend for our Tru Country Peewee Girls B team
as they shocked all the teams in the Peewee B division at the 36th
Annual Walter Gretzky Tournament in Brantford this weekend. Our girls were golden as they won 5 straight
games with only allowing 1 goal against.
We had stellar defense, hot scoring and solid goaltending to lead them
to the Championship Banner and the gold medal.
Our tournament started on the Friday morning with everyone getting up and on the road bright and early to reach our destination – the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre in Brantford. We were scheduled to play only 1 game this day and play our remaining 2 round robin games on Saturday with the 1st and 2nd place team in each of the two pools moving on to Sunday morning Semi Final action with winner of each Semi Final playing for gold later that afternoon.
After we all arrived at the Gretzky Centre, the girls got warmed up and ready to take on one of our many league rivals – Kincardine Kinucks. The ice was ready and the teams faced off at centre, the puck was dropped and game on. Right from the face off, our gals took control and played their game. With our new strategies in place, poor Kincardine wasn’t sure what to do as each time they tried to move the puck our girls were right there to steal it away and move it up the ice. First period would end with the score still sitting at 0. Great team work so far girls, let’s keep this going. As the second period started, again the trap of Mitchell took control and allowed us the chances we needed to score. As the period was nearing the half way mark, Nicole Simmons was just a few feet in front of the Kincardine netminder to receive a pass off the stick of a Kincardine player to place it in the back of the net, whew, way to go girls! Jaimie Badley would earn the assist from all her hard work in the corner. The second would come to the end with the good gals leading 1-0. Third period was set and a determined group from Kincardine were wondering what did they need to do in order to get one in our net but with solid defense and a rock in our net, we continued to shut them down and let the clock count down. With just a couple of minutes left in the game and us leading, Kincardine pulled the goalie for the extra attacker and the empty net. With added pressure on us all we wanted was to keep the puck away from our goal crease and that is exactly what our girls did. With the quickness of Jaimie Badley she took a pass from Alexa Hahn and was off to score on the empty net and seal the win 2-0. The buzzer sounded and game over, the girls won their first game of the tournament and Makayla Beuerman would record the shutout. Awesome work girls!
Jaimie Badley would be awarded MVP for this game.
As this was our only game of the day, everyone headed back home for a good night’s rest as Saturday would be a busy day with 2 games and a long break between games.
Saturday morning and again we all made the trek back to the Gretzky Centre to take on the Oshawa Lady Generals. As both teams took to the ice and their warm up began, you could see each team watching the other to get a glimpse of what would be in store. Puck dropped and game on to start our second game of the tournament. Since our strategy seemed to work so well yesterday (Friday), they figured they would try it again and sure enough it was working! First period would come to an end with the scoreboard still showing 0. Good strong effort with a few close chances to score so hopefully it would just be a matter of time till we got on the board. Second period was set and off we went. As like in the first period, Mitchell seemed to control the play with many close attempts but that Oshawa goalie just didn’t give us much net to see. Finally, Erica Pletsch would score, sweet goal! Taya Cornish and Brooklyn Gethke would earn the assists. Way to go girls! As the period continued, we got called a for penalty and for most of penalty kill we kept the puck away from our zone but as time was just to expire, Oshawa got the puck in our end and took a shot and got one their stick on it to redirect it and get it pass our goalie. Score tied 1-1. Tough one girls, but don’t worry, just get it back! Play started once again and you could see the determination in our Meteors to get back on top and that is exactly what we did. Erica Pletsch was right there again to take the lead from the play making of Brooklyn Gethke. Nice! With the dying seconds left on the clock, Meg Schoonderwoerd passed it Brooklyn Gethke who skated the puck down to Oshawa’s end to beat the goalie with 0:01 seconds left on the clock in the period. Wow, that was close and the girls now lead 3-1. With a quick breather by the bench and a chat from the bench staff, a cheer from the girls and they were ready for this final period of hockey. Within a few minutes of the start of this period, Erica Pletsch scored her third goal of the game to earn the hat trick and with the cheer from the Mitchell fans, a few hats were tossed over the glass to celebrate. Jaimie Badley and Nicole Simmons were the play making duo to make it possible. Oshawa continued to press but some great defensive plays by Ava Gibbings and Brett Gethke they would not allow them the space they needed to get their shots off. The game would end with us winning 4-1 and putting is in the driver seat of our pool with 2 wins with just one more game to play later that day.
Erica Pletsch would be awarded MVP for this game.
After a long break between games, we met back at the Gretzky Centre for our final round robin game at 6:30pm against the Syracuse Nationals 12U team. This was going to be a new experience for us as we had never played a team from the States so far this season. We needed a win or a tie to stay in first place in our pool so we knew this would be intense but with the way our feisty Meteors had played so far, this tournament we had a feeling that they could do it. As the warm up was complete and players ready on the ice, puck was dropped and the game had started. We started quick with puck movement around the ice and in their zone, we also managed to get a few quick shots but we were denied. Half way thru the opening period, Brooklyn Gethke got that little black disk in the back of the net to give us the lead in the opening period. At the end of the first, we lead 1-0. Second period was very similar play to the opening period but Syracuse had a few more chances at our netminder but she was solid and didn’t let anything pass. With their missed attempts, Arianna Catalan and Jaimie Badley rushed up the ice to have Nicole Simmons find the opening and score. Wow, our Meteors are on fire! The buzzer would go and the second period was over with us on top 2-0. With tempers from a few of Syracuse players starting to fly, we continued to keep our cool and drive forward towards their net. Play was back and fourth for this final period but our goalie continued to shut the door shot after shot, making some amazing saves to give our girls the chance to skate that puck right back to their end. This time the line of Brooklyn Gethke and Erica Pletsch set Emma French up to add to our lead 3-0. With the looming victory in our favor we just weathered the storm of frustration from the Nationals to take the win 3-0 and Makayla Beuerman recorded another shut out.
Brooklyn Gethke would receive the MVP for this game.
With their third win of the tournament we locked up first place in our pool with 3 wins and no losses and only allowing 1 goal in 3 games. Great team work girls. This meant a date in one of the two semi finals the next morning (Sunday). We had to wait a for a bit after our game to find out who was going to finish in second place in the other pool and finally it was decided we would be playing North Halton at 8am on Sunday morning.
Again, another early morning for the team but when the girls arrived at the Brantford Civic centre they seemed pumped and ready to win as they wanted the chance to play for the gold medal. Our little group of gals had worked so hard so far this weekend, we wanted another win to spend more time in Brantford before the final that afternoon.
As both teams took the ice, it was clear that it had been a long weekend for both teams as they each seemed to be a little slow and sluggish. With a cheer from the crowd, each team moved the puck towards each other’s nets but both goalies not willing to budge. First and second period would solve nothing as the score remained at 0, we were just hoping our girls would get the spark they needed in the third period as overtime was looming if the score remained the same. Back and fourth the play went end to end and each goalie showing the leather to prove that they were better but finally the hot stick of Erica Pletsch would tap that puck in the back of North Halton’s net to score. Whew, long time coming but what weekend she is having! After a little celebration on the ice, our girls got right back to business and took control of the plays. With less than two minutes left in the game, Erica Pletsch was right there on the door step to net her second one of the game to give us a 2-0 lead. As the final minute counted down and excited bunch of parents and players cheering we knew were going to the Final at 2:30. Yes, another win, another shut out for Makayla Beuerman.
Makayla Beuerman would be awarded MVP for this game.
With the other semi final not complete, we anxiously awaited to find out our opponent for the gold medal game. Guess what, we are playing Kincardine for gold. Should be a great game.
Everyone was pumped and ready for the Final yesterday (Sunday) afternoon. As we all went back to the Gretzky Centre for our final game of the tournament, we would all be surprised to see Walter Gretzky there to take pictures with. That was awesome, what a great surprise for all the players and fans to meet a great legend.
With lots of Mitchell supporters to cheer on our girls, everyone would take their place as this game would turn out to be an edge of your seat thriller, that’s if you could sit! Both teams were battling right from the face off as each team wanted to score that first and most important goal. Puck going end to end and not many shots towards the goalies, the minutes and seconds just winding off the clock till at 1:50 left in the first period, Jaimie Badley moved the puck up the ice to the stick of Emma French who would shoot and score. Yes, yes, yes, we are on the board! Great team work and nice shot! With the first period done and over with and us holding the slim lead 1-0, we knew the next couple of periods would be nail biting. Second period seemed to take a long time but with everyone playing some great defensive hockey and our goalie making some key saves and flashing the glove, we got out of the period still leading 1-0. With the final twelve minutes on the clock, as fans we just wanted our girls to dig deep and hold off Kincardine to win the gold medal they so deserved. With the puck dropped the final period was on, and this barn burner would continue. Both teams continued to skate their hearts out but our feisty Meteors seemed to have the advantage as we continued to get shots off towards their goalie but she stood tall and kept the score the same. As for in our end, Kincardine fired all that they had at our goalie but she was mighty and kept her shut out streak alive. With the final minute showing on the clock and an off-side whistle, each team would take the time to get their game plan in place and face off again, for yet another stoppage and this time a time out taken for Kincardine with just 39 seconds left on the clock. Come on Mitchell, let’s go! Both teams lined up again and the clock started counting down, Kincardine was pressing hard but our gals kept the puck in the corner along the boards to hear the crowd count 5,4,3,2,1 – we won! Awesome jobs girls as you just won the Peewee B division winning 5 straight games with 4 shut outs and only allowing 1 goal to be scored on you in the whole tournament.
Congratulations girls and coaching staff (Jamie, Denny, Bree and Amy) on winning the Walter Gretzky Peewee B Girls Division and the gold medal! You sure did make all the Mitchell fans proud! YOU ROCK!