Dec 16, 2018 | Jason Richardson | 613 views
Rep Tournament Pushes AEs
The Thompsons Ltd Mitchell Meteors Atom AE team headed to Palmerston to take part in the one day Minto Mad Dog Atom Rep Tournament. The team was excited for the chance to play rep teams to see how they matched up. In preparation for this challenging tournament the boys recently played some higher caliber teams in exhibition action, so they felt they were up for the test.
Game one of the tournament was up against the Arthur Vipers. The boys came to play and put forth a great effort for the entire game. The game was a little faster than Mitchell was used to with a lot of end to end action. Sebastian Voros stood tall many times to keep his team in it. Zach Siemon-Hergott and Isaac Smith both stepped up and got involved in the more physical side of the game with great fore checking which created many scoring chances. The line of Griffin Bree, Hudson Porter and Jake Richardson were working well together, moving the puck around with a lot of help from some great defense keeping to keep it in Arthurs end. Both teams swapped goals throughout the game and as the third period came to an end it would be a 3-3 tie with Bree picking up the hat trick. Tournament rules state that games can not end in a tie, so that meant the boys would be heading to a five minute, 3 on 3 sudden death overtime. The back and forth action continued and unfortunately, almost in slow motion, the Vipers would slide the puck under Voros pad giving Mitchell the overtime loss. Mitchell's player of the game went to Griffin Bree!
Game two would be against the tournament hosts, the Minto Mad Dogs. This team is big and fast and currently sitting in first place in their league division. Mitchell didn't let this intimidate them and our boys were there to prove they were not a push over. With much of the same type of back and forth play, and great pressure by Carson Brown and Owen Beuermann, Mitchell would be able to hold Minto to only one goal after the first period. The fast pace of the game, and the fact the young Mitchell team was keeping up put smiles on the coaches faces as we headed into the the third period only down 2-0. Our ten skaters were starting to slow slightly in the third, which allowed more shots on Voros between the pipes. He again made many spectacular stops keeping the game respectable. Although giving up a 4-0 loss to the much faster Mad Dog team, the Mitchell boys played well. Player of the game went to Sebastian Voros!
Game three, the 'C' Final, was up against the Collingwood Blackhawks. As the boys put back on their cold and wet equipment for their last game of the day, their spirits were still high and they were eager to play. As the puck dropped to start the game, Hudson Porter took the face off and in a mad scramble the puck ended up on the stick of Griffin Bree. He was able to skate right in and put one in blocker side, putting Mitchell up 1-0 only 15 seconds into the game. The team was pumped and continued to push. Much of the action was in Collingwoods end thanks to great defensive 'pinching' by Landon Van Bakel, Uniac, Smith and Kelly. Collingwoods goalie made some great glove saves keeping Mitchell at 1. The score would be eventually tied up in the second period on a break away chance by Collingwood. The third period saw shorter shifts, as both teams were starting to slow from a long day of hockey. The buzzer would sound and the game would end in a 1-1 tie, sending the boys to another five minute 3 on 3 sudden death OT.
The boys would keep the pressure on with a lot of action in Collingwoods end. With the clock winding down and only a minute and a half left in OT, a Collingwood player jumped out and got past the Meteors defense putting the puck top shelf to end the tournament. Mitchell's player of the game went to Nate Uniac!
Although coming away with three losses in the tournament, the Thompson's Ltd Mitchell Atom AE team should be commended for their effort for the entire day. They did not give up and were able to dig deep, keeping pace with these Atom Rep teams. Great tournament boys!