Article Submitted by Barry Culmer
Although they had a mixed record in tournament play this season, the Kincardine Tim-Br Mart bantam boys hoped that their unbeaten league form would stand them in good stead on home ice in the Regional Silver Stick from 27 to 30 December.
They had the honour of the opening ceremony game to start their tourney, facing off against Goderich who they had recently beaten twice in exhibition games. Despite a shortage of match practice leading up to the holidays the Kinucks showed their attacking flair in a 6-2 victory. Brody Hayes grabbed a hat trick, one a short hander, Sam Wilson scored a pair and Derrick Bernath struck a single.
In game two of the three-game group stage the boys faced the South Huron Sabres. Four goals up at the end of the first period, the Kinucks eased to a 6–1 win, South Huron spoiling the shut out with a pickpocket marker 30 seconds from the final horn. Goals in this one went to Jordan Bell with a pair with singles to Logan Shewfelt, Scott McFarlan, Geordie Farrell, Austin Rees and Sam Culmer.
Next came a stiffer challenge in the Twin Centre Stars (the eventual Silver Stick winners) who had also won their first two games comfortably without conceding a goal. In a free flowing game with only one penalty, the Stars’ Scrooge-like defence denied any space to the Kinucks normally high scoring forwards. A single Twin Centre goal mid-way through the second period was enough to give them the win despite Kincardine going close a number of times in the third as they eventually got some momentum going. The Kinucks two wins and a healthy goal difference was enough to put them into the semi finals in third place from the group stage.
Semi-final action on the 29th saw Kincardine face another unbeaten team, the Tavistock Titans. Less than two minutes in a check from behind by Tavistock gave the Kinucks a big power play opportunity but the boys weren’t able to capitalize. Like Twin Centre, Tavistock forechecked hard and were quicker to the puck to deny Kincardine any attacking momentum. Their passing game was excellent too and halfway though the second period a Kincardine penalty enabled Tavistock to snatch the crucial first goal on the power play. Two minutes before the end of the second a second goal put them in control. During the flood, Dynamite by Taio Cruz blasted out of the sound system - and that’s what it was going to take from the Kinucks to get back into the game. But it wasn’t to be, Tavistock adding a third and blanking Kincardine for a place in the final.
Great credit to the whole Kinucks team for getting to third place in the group round and playing some entertaining hockey along the way. In addition to the goalscorers already mentioned, Shane Vollmer, Payton Dunlop, Marshall Smith, Evan Brown, Chase Ambeau and goaltenders Kevin Chau and Seamus Small all played their part in the team effort. Now they can take their learning experience into the next challenge – the upcoming playoffs!