Jan 16, 2012 | P Smith | 825 views
Tim-Br Mart Bantams are Silver Stick Finalists
The Kincardine Tim-Br Mart Bantam Kinucks started their Regional Silver Stick challenge with the opening ceremony game against the Hanover Falcons on 27 December 2011. Hanover came with an impressive 13-2-3 record and a hot AAA goaltender.
Despite being out chanced, the Falcons held the Kinucks to a one goal lead at the end of the second period, scored by Shane Vollmer assisted by Scott McFarlan and Cole Lamont, before Hanover pulled one back mid-period on the power play. The Kinucks wrapped up the win 17 seconds from time, Lamont scoring an empty netter from Brendan Murchie and Tyson Rutledge.
Game 3 pitted Kincardine against Tavistorck who were expected to be the toughest opponent in the group stage and who had also won their first game. The Kinucks had the edge but weren't able to make the breakthrough until 2:44 in the second period when Vollmer scored from Long and McFarlan. Kincardine camped in the opponent's end in the third but couldn't score allowing Tavistock to grab a goal 1:38 from the horn for the tie. With Kincardine and Tavistock having the same number of points, goals were important in the third group game against Walkerton and the team duly obliged, racking up a 9-1 win. Vollmer, McFarlan, Long and Sheldon McBride scored a pair each, with a single to Lamont and assists to Vollmer (3), McFarlan, Rutledge, Evan Brown, Sam Culmer and Corey Howse.
As group winners the Kinucks faced last year's champions, the Twin Centre Stars, in the semi-final. They struggled to get their game going falling behind in the second period, tying it up in the third (McBride from Brown and McFarlan) but falling behind 2-1 with six minutes to go. With spectator's nerves jangling, Culmer fed Brown to tie it up with 1:22 left on the clock. Goaltender Dalton REgier pulled off a great save in a crazy finish to send the tie to overtime. The barnstorming finish continued through a first five minute period of 5 on 5 overtime and into a second period of 4 on 4 before McFarlan, assisted by Lamont, sent the crowd wild with the winner 44 seconds from the end of overtime.
The final on 30 December saw Kincardine take on rivals Listowel at a packed arena. Kincardine gave it their best shot, playing their strongest game of the tournament, but the shots on net tell the story: equal at the end of the first two periods but with the Cyclones out shooting the Kinucks four to one in the third period. Displaying good organization, strong skating and passing, Listowel denied Kincardine space to play and ran out 3-0 winners, with goals late in the second and third periods followed by an empty netter 30 seconds from time, to take the Championship. The Kinucks collected a Finalist banner and medals as a reward for a well contested Regional Silver Stick. Congratulations to the whole team, including Craig Luinstra, Grant Stevens and Jakob Dunlop in addition to those already mentioned.
Marshall Smith and Brett Burrows were inured and Dalton Hayes was away.
Article written by Barry Culmer.