Feb 07, 2018 | CMacEachern | 775 views
Peewee Team 606: It Was Worth the Drive to Acton!
Peewee Team (606) participated in the Acton Peewee Hockey Tournament
over the weekend of February 3-4, 2018.
In the first game, the team faced one of the host teams from Acton and they met the “Wayne Gretzky” of Peewee hockey. “Wayne’s” 5 goals and 2 assists resulted in a lopsided 7-3 win for Acton. Undeterred, Team 606 played the second qualifying game against the second host team. Leading 2-1 with less than a minute to play, the team exhibited inadvertently excellent football/soccer skills with an initial deflection off of goaltender Cameron’s mask, on to defenseman Kaelin’s helmet, and into the top corner of the Team 606 net.....it was a crushing late goal that led to a final score of 2-2.
A complicated formula for qualification saw Team 606 finish in seventh spot and it set up a prime time quarter-final round at 10 pm on Saturday evening. Clearly, Team 606's rigorous off-season dry land training program paid dividends, even with the team falling behind by 3 goals early. All season long, the team has demonstrated an abundance of resilience, and it was no different in this game as the team battled back to tie their opponent at 3 with less than 2 minutes remaining. In an overtime format that started at 4 on 4, then down to 3 on 3, 2 on 2, and finally 1 on 1, Team 606’s Owen Lueloff proved to be the difference maker. Owen score a beauty of a breakaway goal leading to a celebration that carried late into Saturday evening. The team was now off to the semi-finals.
The semi-final game featured an opponent, the Tillsonburg Tornado, who had yet to give up a tournament goal - it would be a daunting task for Team 606 on Sunday morning. The team capitalized on two power plays and these were followed up by a superb solo effort by Shaun Belman, allowing them to take a 3-0 lead early in the second period. Team 606, quite evidently sought to test the coronary fortitude of their parents and the coaching staff alike, yet still managed to hold on for a 3-2 victory in the semi-final game.
In the championship game, Team 606 faced the London Bandits. In honour of Super Bowl Sunday, the Bandits had won their quarterfinal game by two touchdowns with a 15-1 win and then they won their semi-final game by only a touchdown with an 8-1 win over the Acton “Wayne Gretzky” team.
Team 606 deployed their finest impression of the 1990’s New Jersey Devils, keeping the score deadlocked at zero until halfway through the second period (due in large part to the tremendous Martin Brodeur impression provided by goaltender, Cameron Venneri). Cameron stopped numerous chances, but perhaps the tournament highlight was his remarkable stretched out toe save followed by a flash of the leather to corral a rebound opportunity against London. The Bandits finally broke through late in the second period and they were named the Acton Tournament Champions with 3-0 victory over Team 606.
In true Aurora Tigers fashion, Team 606 spontaneously lined up post-game to shake the hands of the victorious Bandits, demonstrating great team sportsmanship.
Great job, 606! Your parents and coaching staff are so proud of your efforts! Well-done!
Special thanks to Ross Nepean for the story submission.