The Legion sponsored Kincardine Pee Wee Kinucks Rep team embarked upon their first tournament challenge, last weekend. Travelling to Tillsonburg, these players knew that they’d be facing some tough opposition in a well established tournament.
Their opening game saw the Kinucks lose to Lambton Shores. Although a strong opposition, it’s probably fair to say that the Kinucks were punished for errors that they’re certainly trying to minimise, at this early stage of the season.
The next day would see an altogether different Kinucks team, who battled, forechecked and backchecked from the first whistle. Up against the South Huron Sabres, the Kinucks would claim a 1-0 victory in the very last minute of the game. Finishing up a spell of shorthanded play Cam Fletcher would be directed straight from the penalty box to the Kincardine bench, allowing Kayne Lee to step onto the ice and fire the Kinucks into the lead.
A similar level of effort and a 1-1 result against the host team, Tillsonburg, would see the hard working Kinucks through to the next day and the knock out stages. Trailing in the third period the Kinucks progress was ensured when Jordan Beisel fired into the net, with assists being credited to Cody McClelland and goalie Gordie Reaume.
The road would end at the semi final stages, where the Kinucks would lose to St Mary’s Rock. The 4-1 scoreline was maybe not truly reflective of the overall game, but the Rock did provide some stiff competition, punishing the slightest error that the hard working Kinucks might make. In what turned out to be a consolation goal for Kincardine, Cody McClelland would blast past the St Mary’s defence before lifting the puck over the goalies shoulder with a nicely taken goal.
Although it was disappointing to fall at the semi-final stages, the Kinucks did demonstrate some real improvement in work ethic and team play over the weekend, which should bode well for the remainder of the season.