Nov 30, 2011 | P Smith | 814 views
Bracebridge Tournament Winners! November 25-27, 2011
Capping off a strong team effort vs. Walkerton, the Kincardine Bantam Rep opened their tournament group play at the picturesque Baysville arena on Friday November 25th.
The Kinucks first opponent was Belmont, with Kincardine clearly holding the edge over Belmont, but an outstanding goaltender kept Kincardine off the scoreboard until two minutes into three on three overtime when Lamont fired home the game winner from McFarlan. Craig Luinstra had the shut out.
In the second pool game against Parry Sound on Saturday November 26th the boys took the lead on an unassisted Evan Brown goal at the start of the first period before Parry Sound equalized towards the end of the first. The Kinucks were tentative and struggled to find the checking and passing game they needed allowing Parry Sound to take the win with a goal three minutes from the end of the game, followed by an empty netter for a 3-1 Parry Sound win.
This brought the boys to a "do or die" third group game against Haliburton who had already beaten Parry Sound. Supporters feared the worst after Haliburton took the lead less than a minute into the game but then the real Kincardine showed up, scoring two goals in less than a minute, twice, for a 4-1 lead at the end of the first. Two more in the second before a goalless third saw the Kinucks home at 6-2 and securing a place in the semi-final. Goals went to Grant Stevens, Corey Howse, Lamont, Burrows (goal of the game!), Vollmer and McFarlan with assists to Lamont, McFarlan and Brown.
On Sunday 27 November, the semi-final opponents were Wasaga Beach who had topped their group in the pool round and who half the Kinucks team had played against in their Pee Wee OMHA winning season two years previously. Kincardine couldn't take advantage of a five-on-three power play in the first period or a four minute power play in the second but eventually grabbed the lead half a minute from the end of the second, Vollmer scoring from Stevens and Culmer. Wasage Beach tied it up with six minutes on the clock before an exciting finish saw Lamont score shorthanded (from Brown and Stevens), a Luinstra save on a shorthanded Wasage Beach breakaway and Lamont scored again on the empty net.
The final again paired up the Kinucks and Parry Sound. Kincardine found their "A" game this time, getting the lead two minutes in from Tyson Rutledge (assisted by Long) and holding it well until two minutes in the third with Dalton Regier outstanding in net. Parry Sound then scored on another breakaway but, after scoring to take a 2-1 lead with seven minutes left, the Kinucks competed strongly until the horn to lift the impressive trophy as champions.
Great job by the entire team of Dalton Regier, Craig Luinstra, Dalton Hayes, Sheldon McBride, Evan Brown, Tyson Rutledge, Corey Howse, Brett Burrows, Ethan Long, Shane Vollmer, Scott McFarlan, Sam Culmer, Grant Stevens, Cole Lamont, I/R Marshall Smith and coaching staff Mark Smith, Shawn Burrows, Mark Long and Derrick Burrows!
Written by Barry Culmer