With a weekend off from league games, the Peewee B Mustangs hit the highway for their first tourney of 2017 as they made the trek north for the 21st Annual Orillia Hawks Tournament.
Game #1 - Haldimand River Cats
The long drive was a non factor in the opening game as the girls of Grand River came out strong and ready to set the tone for the weekend. Heavy on the forecheck was the order of the day and it was used early and often. KP finally lit up the board with a beauty breakaway goal with 0.7 seconds left in the second to put the Stangs up by one. Mya would put it on ice with a minute to go in the game to make the lead 2-0 and the eventual final. KP earned game MVP honors for the sweet dangles.
Game #2 - Orillia Hawks
The second game was against the host team Orillia and despite playing each other for the first time, this game took on a rivalry feel. It became physical early, a style of play the Mustangs have no issues with. The home town Hawks got on the board first just before the end of the second to the delight of the crowd. The lead was short lived as Burnzie tied it up 2 minutes later burying a one timer from My glove side, tying it at 1-1 and setting the stage for the exciting finish. With 35 seconds left on the clock,
Hartzy fed AJ in the slot who made no mistake as she hit twine for the eventual game winner. Player of the game was
Zwepy who played the blue line like she owned it.
Game #3 - North Durham Blades
The final game of the round robin gave the girls a chance to nail down the top seed, an achievement they have done each in their last two tournaments. Grand River left no doubt that they came to play as they lit up the clock, scoring seven before it was said and done to win 7-1. The win gave them top spot and a date with the home town Hawks in the finals. Mo scored 3 to pick up the
hatty, with singles going to KP, My, Vic and
Madi.
Erika picked up the MVP as she distributed the puck all over the ice feeding Mustangs left and right.
Finals - Orillia Hawks
The finals brought on the Hawks, a team the Mustangs beat earlier in the tournament in dramatic fashion, a sign of things to come. As they have done all weekend, the girls put in the "business braids" and came to work. Despite owning a huge time of possession and shot advantage, the game remained 0-0, heading into the third. With donuts on the board, Texas Ranger made a save of the year candidate. Down in a butterfly, she dove across the empty cage to rob Orillia of a certain goal as she
steered aside a shot from in tight. With time ticking down it looked like
OT was on the horizon. With 33 seconds left in regulation, Burnzie forced a turn over in the Orillia end and My did the rest. Pouncing on her own rebound, My tucked it behind the Hawks tendy making it 1-0. The Hawks pulled their goalie looking for the equalizer but the Mustangs completely shut them down and earned their first gold medal of the season. Fittingly, My picked up player of the game honors as she had a great tourney at both ends of the ice.
CTV carried the game locally and the game winner can be seen here:
http://barrie.ctvnews.ca/mobile/video?clipId=1035865&binId=1.1275843&playlistPageNum=1#_gus&_gucid=&_gup=Facebook&_gsc=CndSn5L
The girls came to Orillia with the perfect mindset for the weekend. Every time they set foot in an arena it was all business, they were focused on what they needed to do and as such played high level hockey all weekend. Away from the rink it was all fun and hang time, the business braids came out and the feet went up. Fantastic job girls, thanks for a great weekend of hockey and fun!
G - Sarah "Texas Ranger" Walker
D - Erika Van Bakel
D - Jennie "Big Country" Hotson
D - Ella "Zweppy" Zwep
D - Amanda "AJ" Johnston
D - Abby "Ferg" Ferguson
D - Lilly Priesenhammer
F - Morgan "Mo" Robinson
F - Alwynn "Mackie"
F - Cam "Hartzy" Beilhartz
F - Emma "Burnzie" Fogarty
F - Mya "My" Pieczewski
F - Ella "Chaser" Chase
F - Madi Hyndman
F - Kennedy "KP" Peters
F - Emily "Vic" Hales