The Kincardine Atom AE Kinucks readied themselves for the
upcoming All-Ontario and WOAA play offs, as they spent a weekend at the Elmvale
Tournament.
The morning of the tournament opening day would see
Kincardine play in a chilly Wasaga Beach Arena while the outside temperatures
hung around minus 30. However, the cold temperatures didn’t seem to have any
impact on the Kinucks since they would prove to be red hot on the ice!
The first game saw the Kinucks take on the South Muskoka Bears. In the first period, the Kinucks only contribution to the game sheet would be a two minute penalty for Caydence Gibson. However, early in the second period Zack Eybergen would address this when he fired Kincardine into the lead, with assists being attributed to Aiden Berkman and Cam Fletcher. In the third period Jessie Anderson would put this game to bed with an unassisted goal, securing a 2-0 victory for Kincardine and a winning start to the tournament.
The second game would put Kincardine up against the North Muskoka Lightening. The Kinucks would come out flying as they took an early lead in the first period. Attacking defenceman Cam Fletcher, rushed up the right wing before back handing a pass diagonally back across the face of the goal. This pass would fall to left winger Tomas Nancekivell who fired Fletcher’s assist into the roof of the Lightening net. Kincardine would have to hang onto their 1-0 lead while they ran into some second period penalty trouble. Brock Courtney would collect a couple of minor penalties, but the pressure was really on when he was joined in the box by teammate Zack Eybergen. Short two skaters, the Kinucks would really have to battle hard and that they did! Noah Page, Lauren Thede, Caydence Gibson and Holden Stevenson would perform admirably during this period of shorthanded play. Noah Page, in fact, is becoming a bit of a penalty killing specialist! Included in this heroic group that held onto the slender second period lead would have to be the goaltending partnership of Jared Petrie and Johnny Graham, who would prove to be excellent, yet again!
Despite a frantic second period, the Kinucks would hold on and secure a 2-0 victory. This was thanks to Sam ‘The Flow’ MacTavish who collected a third period goal, racing off the bench, collecting and loose puck and skating on one on one with the lightening goalie. MacTavish would fake to shoot before expertly stepping around the goalie and secure the Kinucks progression on his back hand. This was an expertly taken unassisted goal.
With Kincardine assured a passage into the knock out phase, Saturday’s final group game would be between the two unbeaten teams of Kincardine and Douro Dukes. The Dukes would run out 2-0 winners in this closely fought game, and despite best efforts the Kinucks were unable to make a contribution to the game sheet, unless you want to count a two minute tripping penalty for Cam Fletcher! The game left most onlookers feeling that these two teams would soon meet again!
The semi-final would again see the Kinucks play the South Muskoka Bears. The Bears would prove to be much improved in this game, which would be an end to end affair. Twice the Kinucks would come from behind to stay in this tournament, firstly thanks to a bullet Zack Eybergen wrist shot, assisted by Aiden Berkman and Brock Courtney. The second game tying goal was provided by Tomas Nancekivell, assisted by Jessie Anderson and Carson Boettinger. These goals would force the semi-final into sudden death overtime.
In fact, the overtime would be relatively short lived when Holden Stevenson rushed the length of the ice before feeding Carson ‘The Jet’ Boettinger, who buried his chance through the legs of the Bears goalie. The Kinucks were heading for the tournament final much to the delight of Boettinger who leapt around and danced on the Elmvale ice!
Not surprising, the Kinucks would face Douro Dukes in the final game. With injured team mate, Bailey Pierson, undergoing surgery on a broken wrist this same weekend, the team were suitably motivated with ‘win for Bailey’ inscribed on each of their sticks.
The final game would see Kincardine take and early lead thanks to Carson Boettinger, who was neatly assisted by the hard working Jessie Anderson. Unfortunately, Kincardine would again have to battle hard when they found themselves in penalty trouble. Brock Courtney, Jessie Anderson and Caydence Gibson would all spend time in the penalty box, while Douro tied the score at 1-1. However, things got even worse when the Kinucks found themselves two skaters short with both Cam Fletcher and Dakota Condie awarded two minute tripping penalties. It should be said the Condie was excellent throughout this tournament, but for the next two minutes the Kinucks would have to battle on without him. Again, Kincardine would rely on the penalty killing skills of Noah Page, ably supported by David Ulak, Lauren Thede and Holden Stevenson.
The Kinucks survived their penalty troubles and battled against the momentum that the Dukes had been able to build. Sam MacTavish was unable to get Kincardine the lead they desired, as he tried to weave his stickhandling magic, Douro worked ever-harder to close down his offensive threat. Zack Eybergen would go agonisingly close when he shot from a nice Cam Fletcher pass, but the break through just didn’t come. What did come was heart-break! With 30 seconds left on the clock Caleb Kuyvenhoven fired a rocket wrist shot, giving Jared Petrie no chance in the Kinucks net. Unfortunately for Kincardine, the Dukes would run out 2-1 winners.
A dejected group of Kincardine players received their silver medals and a consoling hug from their coach Doug MacTavish. Head Coach MacTavish, although disappointed to lose, was thrilled with the effort provided by this group of players. “You couldn’t ask for more” he said. “The players were a credit to Kincardine and should hold their heads high!” Nice work Kinucks!!