Article Submitted by Barry "D'n'D" Culmer
Over the weekend of 12 – 14 November the Strathroy Rep Olympics provided the Tim-Br Mart bantam boys with the opportunity to test themselves against some strong opposition. 
Starting four group games they opened against the Tillsonburg Lightning, comfortably taking a 3-0 lead by the end of the second period. In a fast paced, physical game Tillsonburg pulled two goals back in the third but Kincardine held on for the 3-2 win. Game two against the Essex Ravens saw the boys take the lead mid-way through the first period. The Ravens tied it up on a power play goal before the Kinucks got another for a 2-1 lead going into the third. A couple of bad penalties allowed Essex to tie it again before one of the saves of the tournament from goaltender Seamus Small with 4.30 to go, prevented them from taking the lead. That fired the Tim-Br Mart boys up who grabbed two goals in the following two minutes for a 4-2 victory.
Next up were the Lambeth Lancers. Kincardine were sluggish in the first period and fell two goals behind inside the first four minutes. They continued to struggle with their passing game but Kevin Chau in net made a series of great stops to keep Kincardine in the game and give them a chance. A shorthanded goal mid-way through the third pulled it back to 2-1 and set up a barnstorming end to the game. Coaches’ and supporters’ nerves were shredded before the boys got the tying goal with 56 seconds left on the clock and then the dramatic winner in three-on-three overtime!
The fourth game of the group round was for bragging rights. Kincardine played hosts the Strathroy Jr Rockets with both teams having already qualified for the gold medal game with three wins. This time the Kinucks got off to a flyer going two goals up in just over a minute of the first period before Strathroy got a quick one back on the power play. Kincardine held the lead until the end of the third when two goals gave the Junior Rockets the 3-2 win.
So to the gold medal final. A challenging, but unlucky, start had the Kinucks two goals down in the first two minutes and three down before the end of the third on a cruel deflection. To their credit the boys really got their game going in the second to pull back two goals but also gave one up to Strathroy against the run of the play. The Kinucks clawed back to 4-3 before another two Strathroy goals, one an empty netter, gave the gold medal to the home team. All credit to the Tim-Br Mart Kinucks for picking up the silver medals in a strong competitive tournament. Way to go boys and coaches!
In addition to some excellent goaltending, the developing teamwork of the team was shown by all of the Kincardine forwards and defencemen getting on the points board during the tournament. Jordan Bell and Payton Dunlop got seven each with Derrick Bernath and Brody Hayes getting five. Austin Rees, Scott McFarlan, Sam Culmer and Chase Ambeau each got two with singles going to Geordie Farrell, Logan Shewfelt, Marshall Smith, Evan Brown, Sam Wilson and Shane Vollmer.