This past weekend the Kincardine Home Hardware Novice Rep Team travelled to Warren Michigan to take part in the International Silver Stick Tournament after winning the Regionals in late December.
On Friday morning the Kinucks took to the ice against the Newcastle Stars. With No scoring in the first period it looked like Kincardine would have their hands full. Great defense by Jorja Scott, Dayle Chinnick and Gavin Beaty kept it a tie. In the second period the Stars scored the first goal of the game, this seemed to wake up the Kinucks and get them moving. With a man in the box, Quinton Page broke down the wing and scored a short handed marker for the Kinucks. Heading into the third period the team looked great, with some outstanding defensive plays, sacrificing the body to stop shots, and some amazing goal tending by Rowen Cherrett. Mid way through the third Quinton page scored his second of the game with an assist from Brandon Bishop. Late in the game Page scored again for the natural hat trick with assists by Gavin Beaty and Casey Beisel. This took the team to a 3-1 win and gave the team some confidence.
On Friday afternoon the Kinucks hit the ice again, this time facing the Lambeth Lancers. The kinucks had spent the afternoon relaxing by orders of the coaching staff and came out ready to go. Late in the first period Quinton Page scored the first goal, un-assisted, for the Kinucks. Lambeth answered right back with a quick goal and ended the period in a tie. The second period only saw just one goal by the Lancers thanks to some outstanding goal tending by Kwade Beisel. Late in the third the Lancers scored again taking it to a 3-1 game, but the kinucks did not give up. With just under a minute to play, Tyler Johns scored on a fantastic pass to the front of the net by Quinton Page. However, it wasn't enough, and the kinucks lost by a score of 3-2.
Thanks to a great schedule, the Kinucks did not play agian until Saturday at 1:00. This allowed the team some time to relax at the hotel, play in the pool and take in some local events. Then at 1:00, the puck dropped against the Whitby Wildcats. Late in the first period the Wildcats scored the first of the game, and spurred on the Kinucks. Just seconds later Quinton Page scored un-assisted to take us into the second period at a 1-1 tie. Some great chances by Casey Beisel, Jesse Page and a great breakaway by Nolan Janes showed the Wildcats that the Kinucks meant business. In the second period Page struck again with an assist from Nolan Janes to give the Kinucks the lead. However, the Wildcats did not give up and came back late in the second with a goal to tie the game. And that is the way it ended, 2-2, leaving the Kinucks with 3 total points and a position in the Semi Finals on Sunday Morning.
Saturday night the Kinucks enjoyed a team dinner, and an early curfew to ensure we were ready to play on Sunday against the Ilderton Jets. Both teams came out strong in the first, trying to get the first goal of the game, but it was Tyler Johns from Dayle Chinnick that opened the scoring and gave the Kinucks the lead. Ilderton did not back down though, with just a couple of minutes left in the first they tied it up.
Ilderton came out on fire in the second and scored a quick one to give them the lead. Quinton Page put an end to that with a beauty goal to tie it up and keep the game even. With a questionable call, the Kinucks were down a man when the Jets scored just 6 seconds into the powerplay. Both teams came out hard in the third, Dylan Chinnick and Graeden Colhoun took some hard knocks at the boards, but got up and kept on fighting for the puck, the Kinucks were doing everything they could to get the game in hand. There was some amazing glove hand saves by Kwade Beisel, some excellent defensive zone take aways by Nathan Arnold and Jared Houghton, but it just wasn't enough and the Kinucks lost 4-2 knocking them out of the tournament. It was however the Ilderton Jets that ended up winning the division.
There were many outstanding plays by our Kinucks over the weekend.
They all worked hard, all did their part and all tried their best. All of the parents and coaches were very proud of our kinucks, they all conducted themselves well, showed respect for the game and the other teams and gave their best efforts. Congratulations kinucks for making it to the International level.
Keep up the great work.
Perry Johns