PeeWee AE Headed to International Championships – Regional Silver Stick Champions!!!!
The
Petrolia PeeWee AE team went 5-0 this weekend in their Regional Silver Stick Tournament finishing first overall in the PeeWee division and earning the 2nd most points overall from all divisions within the more than 30 teams entered in the tournament (Atom, PeeWee, Bantam and Midget teams). This young group continued to answer the challenge brought forth by each team they faced. This was a very difficult tournament, with very strong teams in both pools.
Friday morning, the first game, saw Petrolia matched up against a very strong Ilderton team. Ilderton came out as strong as ever. Petrolia started their Silver Stick tourney with a 3-1 win over Ilderton, their league rivals. The Player of Game: Braeden Nickles.
In Petrolia’s
second game of Silver Stick the Oilers squared off against a team that was
unknown to them, which saw Petrolia come out on top of the BCH Ice Dogs with a 2-0 win. Because of the points/period system used,
Petrolia had guaranteed themselves a birth into the semi-finals with this win…but
this was unknown to the coaches and players at the time. Player
of the Game: Tie Maniuk and Honourable Mention: Jordan
Lypko for the shut out.
The Oilers
faced the Blyth-Brussels Bulls in the final round robin game. Blyth-Brussels was a team with size and they
came out hitting holding onto a 2-1 lead late into the third. Petrolia continued to show their character
and pushed forward scoring 2 short-handed goals during the same Penalty Kill
edging out a frustrated Blyth team with a 3-2
win. Player of the Game: Robbie Moore, who scored the game
winner with a howitzer from the blue line.
St. Marys
and Petrolia would now face off in the first of two semi-final games. The game went back and forth with high
intensity and numerous scoring chances for both sides. DJ Langlois made some huge
saves keeping Petrolia in the game. This game created the most stress for the
coaching staff and parents. Petrolia put
out a power line with just under 2 minutes left and called a time out with 1:14
left on the clock…giving the players a short breather. With 7.8 seconds left in regulation, Braeden
Nickles scored the game winning goal – final
score 3-2. Player of the Game: Braeden
Nickles.
Todd Annett –
Coach of the Triple Crown Winning Petrolia Midget Rep Team was the guest of
honour in the change room before the Championship Game. Coach Todd stressed that hockey is 90% mental
and 10% physical, which was consistent with the coaching staff’s message – that
you must believe!! The energy and focus
in the room was at an all time high. The
players truly believed in their motos: In It To Win It and I’m a Champion!! They were ready to go battle on the ice
against the Blyth-Brussels Bulls once more.
Our boys played
amazingly well and were disciplined through the first two periods and went into
the change room with a 2-0 lead. During
the flood between the 2nd and 3rd periods the players
were reminded of the game plan. The
Oilers showed their relentless style by executing the game plan very well
taking a 4-0 lead early in the third.
Blyth-Brussels still had fight and responded with a couple goals keeping
Petrolia aware that anything can happen.
This short burst by the Bulls did not scare or intimidate the
Oilers. Petrolia kept their foot on the
gas and continued to forge ahead scoring three more goals. Petrolia
PeeWee AE won the South Huron Regional Silver Stick Tournament with a
convincing 7-2 win. Player of the Game: Robbie Fournie, who is AP’ed from the
PeeWee Tri-County Team (two assists
and was given the game puck)
At the team celebration the players grabbed some hair clippers and sat one of their coaches down to him the "trim" he promised he would receive if the team won Silver Stick...it was life lesson in Integrity - do what you say you are going to do...and the boys did just that. A group of barbers in the mix.
We are now
headed to Pelham for the International Silver Stick Championships in
January. Congrats boys – Our team is WHAT?!...DYNAMITE!!