PEGGY HILL CHAMPIONS !!!!, News, U10, U10-U11 (Atom), 2021-2022 (Stratford Minor Hockey Association)

The Holloway Auto Parts Plus U10 Rep Team participated in the Peggy Hill Classic Tournament in Barrie, this past weekend.

Grab a warm drink and settle in, with a weekend record of 43 goals for and only 4 against, you don’t want to miss this one!

GAME #1    VS      Markham Waxers

After a 2.5 hour early snowy morning drive to Barrie, there could have been question as to how prepared the boys would be to play, until the puck dropped, then there was 0 question, the 16 boys were ready to Rock n’ Roll. Hurley stepped on the ice with his linemates for the second shift, picked a puck up, skated end –to– end and rang in the first goal off the back bar, to make it a quick 1-0. Two shifts later, Tyler Peck made a pass to Coleton Schmidt who netted a one timer to make it 2-0. Hurley did a bob and weave through the Waxers team to give the team a 3-0 lead, he didn’t finish there, quickly turning around with another end-to-end rush shooting low glove side netting the 4^th goal. Schmidt came off the bench with a fast backcheck, stole the puck, headed down the ice, wrapping around the net releasing a hard snapshot to give the boys a 5-0 lead ending the period. Second period wasn’t any slower, linemates Lincoln Rae, Nate Micks and Schmidt worked together, covering the offensive zone, with Micks netting goal #6. Midway through the period Hurley found an opening for another weave through the Waxers putting goal #7 up. Peck’s relentless forechecking gave him an opening for a wrist shot, that bounced of the goalie too Mason Bye who sealed the deal for #8. Schmidt strategically and patiently zig zagged through the rink to solidified goal #9. Ending the period on a high was Hurley, with a back handed shot top corner for goal #10. Schmidt had a great game working hard at creating dozens of offensive opportunities for all members of his team! Malcolm Austin-Olsen was a force on the back end, pinching the boards, rushing pucks, clearing pucks, and skating with high intensity all game. Hurley’s rain of goals continued, netting #11. Micks didn’t hesitate to release a quick shot from Schmidt’s pass to put #12 on the board. Finishing the game off, Micks made a backwards pass to Joey Bitzer who slapped in goal #13!! Lincoln Rae was awarded ‘Hardest Worker of The Game’, playing the right wing aggressively, attacking all the pucks in the blue paint, getting multiple shots off, making calculated passes to his linemates and playing with great sportsmanship.

** Would like to Congratulate both goaltenders on the Waxers' team, for a game well played. Both goaltenders faced dozens of shots each period, shaking off each goal and continue to stand tall for their team! HATS OFF TO YOU!

GAME #2   VS   Toronto East Enders

This game started as, battle of the goaltenders, Sawyer Verspeeten got the call to net for the Warriors, he whipped out his hot glove the first period, making key saves to keep the boys in it. With a late offside being called, Hurley saw his pathway, picking up a dropped puck to fire in the first goal. Nick Forman worked the blue line, pinning players on the boards, pinching up, clearing bodies, and making good outlet passes, which led to goal #2. Forman held two of the East Enders against the board with the puck, Hurley circled the outside, found a hole, and dug out the puck to start his end-to-end rush, shooting stick side to light the board up. Hurley cashed in his hat trick starting the second, taking the puck off the draw, shooting low glove side to make it 3-0. East Enders were able to sneak in a goal ending the period, but their fire was smothered within seconds, as Hurley responded, with another weave through the team on a PP, making it 4-1. The third period Schmidt dug a puck out behind the net on a PK, made way down the ice burning time, patiently waiting for his shot, once released he made no mistake in netting the 5^th goal. The sixth goal came a couple minutes later by Schmidt backhanding in a rocket to give the boys a 6-1 lead. Josef Moss set up the final goal, with an aggressive forecheck, quick turn and shot, that Bitzer banged in the rebound, to end the game 7-1 and awarding him with ‘Hardest Worker of the Game’.

GAME #3     VS     East Gwillimbury Eagles

With what started as whispers circling the arenas about the fear to play the Stratford Warriors U10 team due to their avalanche of offence and solid back end, by the end of Game #3, it was more like a continuous echo throughout the rinks. Stepping on the ice in White’s, goaltender Nash Zacher was put to the test right off the hop with five quick shots that didn’t rattle him, he stayed square to the shooter, calm, collected and solid all game! Hurley started things off for the boys with a wide-open net, wrap around to make it 1-0. Once you have awakened the wheels in Hurley, look out, cause the hat trick is quickly to follow and in true fashion Hurley netted two more goals back-to-back. One was off the draw on a PK, shot glove side and the other end-to-end bob and weave rush through the ice to give the Warriors a 3-0 lead. Defencemen Jaxon Hallock had a consistent game, stopping breakaways, clearing pucks, making smart outlets passes and playing man low. Micks neatly tucked in goal #4. Bitzer shot in goal #5, low stick side from a pass by linemate Andrew Hodgins to finish the first period 5-0. Schmidt’s strength helped net goal #6 with a wicked backhand shot, top corner stick side, leaving the Gwillimbury goalie starstruck. Brayden Keating was awarded ‘Hardest Worker of the Game’ with his contribution offensively, aggressive play along the boards and his ability to control the ice in not allowing the Eagles to have room to fly. The third period, the Gwillimbury Eagles found a way to clog up the ice and shut down the offence of the Warriors not allowing anymore goals to break through. Zacher protected his shutout facing three rapid shots with 10sec left in the game, smothering all of them.

GAME #4     VS     Barrie Colts

Barrie came to play and was ready to battle the red, white, and blue with everything they had. They released the first shot, stealing a puck from the blue line but were stopped on the doorstep by goaltender Verspeeten, who wasn’t going down without a fight between the pipes. Barrie continued their efforts, eventually netting the first goal of the game, protecting their lead they carried on blocking shots with all parts of their body, controlling the center of the ice, not allowing any breakaway passes or rushes. Schmidt was able to part the sea and head down the ice on a rush ending the period but was stopped by the Barrie’s goaltender who was putting up an equal fight. The second period Barrie made a bad line change leaving the ice wide open and giving Hurley an early Christmas gift, gift wrapping the first goal for the Warriors. Hurley followed up with another shot and netted his own rebound to make it 2-1. As the game continued, there seem to be bodies falling everywhere as both teams were battling hard for each puck trying to get an edge above the other. Hurley waited on the edges during a scramble in the second, where he picked off a loose puck shooting high above the goaltenders’ head to hit the mesh to make it 3-1. The third period there was lots of back and forth but neither team was able to capitalize on any offence to get pass either goaltender. Micks was awarded ‘Hardest Worker of the Game’ with his relentless hustle playing two-way hockey, working with his linemates to make educated plays, supporting all positions, and never backing down.

GAME #5- SEMI FINALS      VS        Barrie Colts

Waking up before the roosters and a little pregame jig to Freaks by Timmy Trumpet, the boys hit the ice for the Semi Final match at 7:00AM, against the Barrie Colts with speed. The first period there was good action on both ends of the ice, Hurley led the Colts in multiple raises up the ice but was snake bitten by the goaltender unable to break thru in the first. Second period Hurley grabbed a puck along the boards pulled the Colts across the blue line, one crossover and he was gone, making a little jig to outmaneuver the tendie netting the first goal. Moss followed up, off the next draw fired a shot top shelf to make it 2-0. Colts hesitated on a line change giving Hurley open ice to breakaway, he placed his shot bouncing up off the goaltenders stick to net the third goal. Micks worked the boards to grab a puck and solidify goal #4 with a wrap around. Defencemen Nash Riehl had a good game pinching in to assist the forwards in offence, keeping pucks in the attacking zone, stealing pucks in the neutral zone, and pushing players to the boards. Third period Hurley left the pack of Colts in the dust, took a shot, Bye followed closely behind to catch the rebound and net the 5^th goal. Micks grabbed a puck from the neutral zone worked his way down the ice, shot off the goaltenders’ pads, Schmidt netted the rebound to make it 6-0. Micks continued his momentum with some fancy moves, between the defensemen's legs a tip up to linemate Schmidt that hit the mesh to put it at 7-0. Hallock making a pass up the boards to Bitzer, feeding Hurley who shot in #8. Finishing the game off with a beauty five-hole shot was Moss ending the game 9-0…. Heading to the FINALS!

GAME #6- FINALS           VS          Norfolk Knights

Facing off against the Norfolk Knights, was an experience to be remembered. With lights flashing, music echoing through the arena, official announcement of each player prior to puck drop, anthem singing, horns bellowing, bells ringing and parents cheering the arena was lit up for this matchup. The Warriors came out skating hard, trying to push thru the physically aggressive Norfolk to light the board up first unfortunately, the Knights captured two quick goals but with a little regroup, some deep breaths, the boys settled into their ‘game mode’ and were off! Second period, Bitzer made a pass up to the blue line, hitting linemate Hodgins, who tipped up a pass to Hurley, making a quick release top shelf making it 2-1. Hurley took a bit of a beating as Norfolk played bumper cars with him, drawing a couple penalties from it. Hurley responded to the physical play, by taking the pack of Knights down the ice, riffling a shot off the goaltender that Hodgins banged in, tying the game at 2’s. Marcus Atkinson had an aggressive game, clearing junk around the net, keeping pucks in the attacking zone and pushing players to the outside. From the back-end Forman hit Hurley coming onto the ice, sending him on a run to net another goal making it 3-2 Warriors. Third period Bitzer from the ground in front of the net, shot in the 4^th goal giving the boys some breathing room. Schmidt stamped the W for the team with a quick wrist shot to put the board at 5-2. With 1:59 left in the game Norfolk went on a PP, producing some offence but were robbed by goaltender Verspeeten’s glove, making the STRAFORD WARRIORS THE CHAMPIONS!

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE BOYS for an amazing weekend of hockey and becoming the PEGGY HILL CLASSIC CHAMPIONS !!!

**BIG THANKYOU to all the siblings for supporting their brothers this past weekend, making colourful signs to help motivate them while on the ice!!**