The next challenge in these young phenoms
journey landed them in Bradford over the weekend to take on teams in a higher
division for the legendary Blue and Gold Cup.
The next challenge in these young phenoms journey landed them in Bradford over the weekend to take on teams in a higher division for the legendary Blue and Gold Cup.
The first game saw our under dog twisters take on a GTHL juggernaut, the West Mall Lightening. How would our stars shine? The first period saw back and forth action as neither team wanted to give up the first goal. When the buzzer went, the first frame was tied 1-1. Goal scored this period from Jacob Jackson on assists from Grayson Madore and Taylor Smith. The second period was all Lightening as the West Mall scored two unanswered goals to take a 3-1 lead after two periods of play. Not to be outdone, our little engine that does continued to roll as our young guns scored two to tie. Make the final 3-3. Goals scored by Jackson and William VanderZaag. Assists by Damien Futas, Cal Virtue-McCague, Reed Schlosser and Elijah DaSilva.
The next team up to try to take down these young guns was the Markham Islanders. Another ‘A’ team from Toronto’s toughest loop. This game was all phenoms as we scored early and often to win a surprise 4-2. Wow. Unbelievable. Goals scored by Jackson (2), Brayden Vienneau, and Robert Allen. Assists from DaSilva, Schlosser, Nate Holmes, Bryce McKnight, Virtuie-McCague and Zachary Williamson.
The final game of the round robin saw our tired Twisters battle against the first place in our group Nepean Raiders. With nothing to lose, our boys battled hard but in the end Nepaen won the game. Goals in this one by Allen, Jackson and Gregory Prock. Assists from Jackson, Prock, Michael Allen, Holmes, and Madore. Good try boys.
With a huge win and a tie, the boys had enough points to head into the quarter final round. The challenger was the top of the shop Cumberland Junior Grads. This team came to win and played as hard as they could. Heading into the third period, the score was only 2-1 for the Grads. It would have been a lot more if not for our acrobatic aerialist, Logan “the Wall” MacLellan. What a young star. With the game still close, our boys entered the final period and played the best hockey so far. Bang! Game tied. Then with 17 seconds left in the game WHAM! 3-2 young stars. Hooray! What a win. Off to the single A semis! UNBELIEVABLE! Goals scored by VanderZaag and Jackson (2) . Assists by Mallen and Rallen, McKnight, Williamson, Smith and Futas.
The semi final saw us challenge the defending All Ontario Champs from Innisfil. To start the game, the winterhawks scored one early but then it was Jackson that scored three in a row on incredible passes from Holmes, Vienneau, Prock, Allen, Williamson and Smith. 3-1 great guys half way through the second. With the momentum our way, the referees decided it was to not be our day. Penalty after phantom penalty, amateur hour continued as the local joke-als called six in a row to hand Innisfil the unearned lead. In the end the refs were too much for our young superstars to conquer. They left the rink being punished by incompetence. We knew they were Champs no matter what the score. Make the final 4-3 striped shirts. Good luck in the final Hawks.