The team went 4-0 to claim the title in South Muskoka over the weekend!
Taking a break from the Georgian Bay Playoffs the team travelled to South Muskoka over the weekend to play in the AE Tournament.
Continue their strong play the team entered the tournament a confident group and it showed on the ice. Opening with a game against the host South Muskoka Bears, the team opened with w 4-2 win in the morning. The afternoon game saw the boys face a stubborn Muskoka Rock team. A real team win saw the boys finish day 1 with a tight 4-3 victory, setting the stage for an exciting Sunday.
Understanding a win and they were in the finals, the team put together one of their best all round efforts of the season with a convincing 4-0 win over the Erin Hillsburgh Devils. It was the 13th shutout for goalie Graydon B and the team.
The finals saw Oro in a rematch with the host team from South Muskoka. The Bears were determined to avenge their earlier loss and made sure to let anyone within earshot know with some friendly pre-game banter. From the open face off it was evident they came to play, what they didn't count on was an equally determined Oro Thunder. A miscue midway through the first period saw the Bears open the scoring as they were able to get behind the defence. However, knowing they had a slight edge in play the boys were confident. With just under 4 minutes left in the game Brett G continued his hot play of late, putting a rebound behind the South Muskoka goalie.
The game ended 1-1 which meant a 5 minute sudden victory overtime. Adding to the drama, it was too be played 3 on 3, a new experience for the team. Instead of sitting back, Oro played an aggressive 5 minutes narrowly missing on a couple of chances to win the game. With OT ending it meant a shootout would be used to decide the tournament winner.
As nervous as the coaching staff and parents were, the players were cool, calm and collected. As home team, Oro went first and Noal K swiftly deposited a hard wrist shot behind the goalie. Graydon B was aggressive in net and took away any scoring chance from the first Bears shooter. Brett G was second to shoot for Oro and went top shelf to put the pressure squarely on the host team. They weren't going to go quietly and scored on their second attempt. Taylor M was the 3rd shooter for Oro and knew what was at stake, score and win, miss and give South Muskoka new life. Taylor M didn't disappoint, using his great shot to beat the goalie and start the celebration!
It was a great weekend for the team. Even better to see all the hard work pay off as the team is really coming together, supporting each other and improving with every game. All the parents and coaches are very proud of the team!
Good Luck in the remaining playoff games!