Sports Medicine / Marble Slab Bantam AAA Colts finish a great season with a Bronze Medal.
The Sports Medicine - Marble Slab Bantam AAA Colts were in Aurora at St Andrews College over the weekend to compete in the OMHA Championship tournament. In search of a gold medal, the Colts were looking to continue the strong play that had brought success through the first two rounds of the playoffs.
The Colts started off the tournament on Friday morning against the Grey Bruce Highlanders. The Colts came out flying scoring half way through the first period to take a 1-0 lead. The Colts added another in the second period then 3 more during the third taking game one by a score of 5-0 and the Colts were off with the start they were looking for.
Friday evening the Colts faced off with the Clarington Toros. The Colts scored twice in the first half of the first period and held a 2-0 lead. The Toros answered a short time later and but as the period came to a close, the Colts scored again to regain their two goal lead, holding a 3-1 advantage at the end of the first.
The Toros scored early in the second period only to be answered by the Colts. The Toros were not done as they scored with under two minutes left in the second and at the end of the period, the Colts held a 4-3 lead.
As the third period got underway, the Toros scored early on the power play to tie the game at 4-4. The Colts responded part way through the period to take back the lead at 5-4.
As the period came close to the end, the Colts faced a number of challenging situations........
While appreciating the opportunity to work on their penalty kill situations, all in the rink seemed shocked when a penalty shot was called, giving the Toros a chance to tie the game.
The Toros player took full advantage of the situation presented and tied the game at 5-5. The Colts continued with a strong penalty kill effort and held off the pressure from the 9 people on the ice to secure the tie ( yes a little sarcasm if you count to 9 :) ).
Saturday morning the Colts played the Hamilton Bulldogs, a very strong team from the SCTA. Both team were looking for a win to keep the hopes of a gold medal game alive. Hamilton scored first in the second period but the Colts responded twice before the period ended to hold a 2-1 lead at the end of two.
As the third period started, Hamilton took advantage of a power play opportunity and tied the game at 2-2.
Just 4 minutes later, the Bulldogs scored again to take a 3-2 lead. Although the Colts continued to pressure until the final buzzer, they could not get one past the Hamilton goalie and lost the game 3-2.
Saturday afternoon the Colts faced the Host York Simcoe Express in a must win game. With the win, the Colts could ensure a tie with leading teams to keep the bid for gold alive.
The first period was extremely faced paced as the team exchanged chances and big hits, ending in a 0-0 tie.
At the 6 minute mark of the second YSE scored to take a 1-0 lead.
The Colts did not let the goal change their play and just 45 seconds later, scored to tie the game at 1-1.
With just 3 minutes gone in the third period, the Colts scored to take a 2-1 lead on the Express.
The Colts continued to push the pace with YSE and closed out the game, winning 2-1 and putting themselves in a position to possibly make the Gold game.
But their fate was not in their own hands, needing the Express to beat the Toros in the last game of round robin play. The Toros beat the Express 3-2.
At the end of round robin play, the Toros sat first with the Colts being tied with Hamilton for second. Although in second by goal differential, the deciding factor in a two team tie was head to head, Hamilton getting the Goal game and the Colts were set with another date with YSE for the Bronze.
Sunday morning the Colts faced off again with YSE to decide the Bronze medal. The mantra for that game " the only thing worse than being in the Bronze Medal Game - not winning the Bronze Medal Game " and the Colts hit the ice to prove that.
The Colts got on the board first, scoring 6 minutes into the first period. The Colts scored again at the 3 minute mark and held a 2-0 lead after one.
YSE came out strong in the second scoring 3 unanswered goals in the second to take a 3-2 lead. The Colts then responded with one of their own and at the end of the second, the game was tied at 3.
The third period however was all Colts as they scored 4 goals, taking the Bronze Medal Game 7-3.
The Colts played a strong team game all season and that did not change this past weekend.
Congratulations to each and every player on this team on your accomplishments this season.
"We are ALL in" !
Go Colts !!
