Nov 06, 2018 | Karin Stockwell | 119 views
Whirlwind Weekend of Hockey
In a hockey weekend that had it all – practice, game and
tournament – the TCDMHA Power Workers’ Union Midget LL Rebels brought their all
to the rink in all three venues.
Friday night’s practice in Keady got the team warmed up for a Saturday morning game against Saugeen Shores in the “home away from home” rink in Markdale. The Rebels took the game handily with two goals from Josh Currie (one assisted by defenseman Jack Kivell and the other assisted by Carson Torrie and Jack Kivell), an unassisted goal by Chris Hardman, and the fourth by Pearce Lacey from Jake Hartman. Final score: 4-1 for the “home” team!
Less than 24 hours later, the good guys took to the ice again – this time at the Arthur Tournament against the Twin Centre Stars. Stellar goaltending from Jason Rudolph-MacLeod earned him a well-deserved shutout. The Rebels put two points up on the board to give the team the win. The first goal was netted by Charlie Scott whose game was high-octane, fueled (according to confidential sources) by not one but two pre-game breakfasts. His goal was set up with a perfect centering play by Chris Hardman, advanced up ice by Landon Heathers. The second goal came from the stick of Chris Hardman boosted by a sweet rush by defenseman Duncan Martin and assisted by linemate Charlie Scott.
The team advanced to the next round to meet the host team, the Arthur Vipers. The Rebels had to battle hard in a game that looked from the stands more like Australian-rules rugby. The first period was scoreless, with Jason making outstanding save after outstanding save to keep the puck out of the Rebels’ net. Carson Torrie put the Rebs on the scoreboard in the second, set up by Josh Currie and Jack Kivell. Pearce Lacey added another near the end of the second, assisted by Landon Heathers. Entering the third period, Jason had a whopping five periods of shutout hockey in the bank – six if you include the game the day before. Unfortunately, his hot streak was cut short partway into the 3rd period when Arthur put in one – and only one – to bring the score to 2-1 for the Rebels. The Rebels held the lead, earning them a berth in the tournament finals.
The game against the Paris Wolfpack for the tournament championship was a close, hard-fought, clean contest between two skilled teams. As they had all tournament long, the Rebels opened the scoring with a goal by Chris Hardman from linemates Charlie Scott and Wes Houston. The opponents tied it up a few minutes later, and then pulled ahead with a quick second goal just seconds afterwards. This represented the first time in the entire tournament that the Rebels had not held the lead. Not comfortable with this arrangement, the good guys tied the score 15 seconds later on a goal by Pearce Lacey from Carson Torrie and Josh Currie. The Rebels took back the lead with a goal early in the third on a rush by Brandon Lindstrom fed by Chris Hardman. Paris tied it up again, and with a nailbiter finish, managed to score one more late in the game to take the win.
Big shout-out to goalie, Jason Rudolph-MacLeod who faced 16 shots in that final game and 50 overall in the tournament – including heart-stopping breakaways and odd-man rushes – virtually standing on his head and turning himself inside out to make saves that defy the laws of physics. Congratulations, boys, on a well-played whirlwind weekend of hockey!