Mar 11, 2019 | Theresa Kolkman | 835 views
Young Canada Week Tourny....
The PeeWee Rep Crusaders entered probably the most popular and longest running PeeWee tournaments in our area, Young Canada Week in Goderich. Wayne Gretzky was known to play in this same contest. Our team may have had a tough first game, but they showed a lot of pride and dignity representing Blyth Brussels Minor Hockey.
The first of four matches came against our neighbor, BCH Icedogs. It was a tough game for our Crusaders. Scoring started late in the first for the opposition but our team never gave up. Playing on foreign ice against a team we have never played was our biggest challenge. Many battles were had, and many shots on our net kept the game busy. Ava Strome came to the rescue in the third preventing an Icedog shut out. Ava worked with her line mate, Brett McCutcheon and defense back up from Carson Bromley for the lone goal of the game. Good work Ava!!
Our second game was later in the day against TCDMHA. We have come across this team before and found them a true challenger. It became a close outcome with a final score of three to two. We started scoring in the first period when Connor Dale took his cue from teammate Luke Fisher. These two passed the puck between each other to give Connor his goal and the team a point on the board. It wouldn't be until the third period when we would mark our second goal. Brett McCutcheon took his chance to control the play with a lone goal. Many plays were had and tricks were tried but we could not beat the clock. It was a tough loss and this team continue to come out of the change room with smiles. Off to Boston Pizza for a team supper :)
After a good nights sleep and some much needed rest, we travel back to Goderich for a round against Central Perth. We play this group in regular season so we are ready for what they have to offer. It was a very even game in the first period. Jake Bromley worked a great pass from his cousin and friend, Carson Bromley. These two boys gave their team the upper hand with the first goal. Just to keep things on the positive side, Brett McCutcheon worked his magic through the opposition for another lone goal. Giving us our second goal of the period and game. The second period was one of great defensive action by the Crusaders and amazing goalie saves by Hayden Lee. It could be said that Hayden's glove should be arrested as it stole ninety-nine percent of the shots Central Perth put on the net. He was on fire!!! In the third period Luke Fisher and Brett both had amazing opportunities for points. It was early in this time frame when Brett AGAIN worked his right to the puck and skated the ice's length for his second and the team's third point. Landyn Hallahan was also busy at defending his space at the blue line and in front of the net. The Crusaders came away with a three to one win!!!
What turned out to be the last game of the tournament and our 2018/19 season was another great match of hockey for our PeeWee Rep Crusaders. It was time to play Owen Sound, a new team to our roster. The Crusaders dominated the play all game. Shots on net continued at every angle and pass. Nothing seemed to penetrate this goalie. He was like a wall. Brett, Jackson Hallahan and Carson all had multiple shots on net. The pressure to score was mounting. Both first and second period would go scoreless for both teams. In the final third of play and only forty-five seconds into this period Brett kept up his theme with a single handed goal. Every time he scores like this the other team know to keep an eye on number twenty...he is one to be watched. With less than a minute of play Jackson would work his abilities to get control of the puck than pass it over to Luke for their first and our second goal of the contest. A special shout-out to the Owen Sound goalie, Lungren. J...he played amazing and was definitely the reason our players found it difficult to score. We skated away with a two to zero win!!
It was great to end the 2018/19 year with a couple points on the win side. After a tough playoff season of very close scoring games and consistent hard work, these players deserve a mark on the win side. They all need to be proud of their hard work and dedication to the team. A special thank you to the AP players who came out to help our reps. Whether you played one, ten or twenty games every one of you was essential in making this group a "team" for those games. Thank you as well to the AP parents who shared their time and gas for more games and practises than they initially realized in September.
A special shout out to the coaching staff. This group of men worked well together, kept the needs of the players forefront and never gave up. Good coaching takes a lot of extra time and it is this time that the kids appreciate. You have all made new friends with this team and we hope to see you all back behind the bench next year.
Don't forget the banquet on April 2 in Brussels at 6 pm....see you all there!!!