The first game of the Archie McMillan Midget tournament had Kincardine hosting their arch rivals Port Elgin. As has been tradition with these two teams the first period was used to establish a physical presence and try to gain an edge through intimidation. Kincardine opened the scoring in the second when Carson Ellis slid a sweeper past a downed Port Elgin net minder with helpers going to Phil Bernath and Josh MacDonald. Port quickly replied with a Power play goal off a scramble in front of Kegan Woodmen. Josh Gauthier punched a one timer home after Garrett Satosec won a clean face off and Brad Mangotich fought off a defender to get the puck back to Gauthier at the blue line. The lead was short lived only to have Port fight back to have the score tied after two periods. The third was All Kincardine as Phil Bernath went coast to coast and Dylan Sayle fought through two defenders to close out the score 4-2 in favor of the home squad, helpers on the two high light goals went to Sam Gurbin and Chris Beattie.
Game two had the young Patriots from Mt Forest as the opposition, in the past the Miller Midgets have had an easy time with the Green and white and this game although one sided in regards to the score it was a hard fought battle .Scoring was led by Dylan Sayle with the hat trick and single markers going to Jacob Siekierski and Alex Legrand, helpers went to Garret Satosek, Josh MacDonald, Jory Norman and Mitch Dickson. The well deserved shut out went to Easton Battler who made several big saves to preserve the goose egg.
Game three on Sunday morning was a must win as the boys were facing the other undefeated team in their division South Huron, and a loss would remove any chance at the championship game. South Huron opened the scoring after a failed clearing attempt and appeared to have the edge in play. Eventually the wakeup call came through from the coaching staff and garret Satosek snapped a wrister home with the assist going to a the “Mighty Miller Midgets” Chris Beattie and Cody Bowes. Both teams traded goals in the second with Mathew Osadca parking a blast from the point off a nice thread from Dallas Perkins and Sam Gurbin. Going into the third both teams opened up for an entertaining display of passing and board crashing hits. Hard work earned the Karson Ellis the winner as he dirty dangled the South Huron goalie after he was sent in alone off a beautiful feed from the first year rookies Sayle and Norman.
With three straight wins to their credit the Miller midgets had a swagger in their steps as they squared off against the Petrolia Oilers the perennial league champs from the south. The confidence was short lived as the Oilers held the advantage in play only to have Kegan Woodman shut the door with spectacular saves to hold the score at zeros going into the third. Petrolia finally broke through the Woodman Wall with a tick tack toe play that resulted with the puck in the top shelf of the Kincardine net. Petrolia found the back of the net twice more with a deflection goal and an empty netter to humble the home town boys 3-0. The disappointment of the loss was short lived as the boys now understand what it is going to take to go to the next level and gain victory in future tournaments and the playoffs. (Nov 6, 2009)
Ron Sayle