Mar 12, 2014 | Colin Gade | 743 views
Rams win it all at 65th Young Canada Week Tournament
The Mount Forest Pee Wee C Girls were the Champions at the 65th Young Canada Week Tournament this past weekend.
The Pee Wee C Girls spent the entire weekend in Goderich for the 65th Young Canada Week Tournament. The Girls have been playing some amazing hockey and had just qualified for Provincials by going undefeated in the best of 3 games against The Grand River Mustangs. Next for these girls was to win a tournament. The Rams have come close in the past but have not yet this year been crowned tournament Champions, until now!!
This amazing story begins on Friday when the Rams had their first game against The Sarnia Sting. The excitement was there but the girls were a little tired after having the day off school. Although a little sluggish the Rams would start the scoring in the first when Taryn North put one in the back of the net assisted by Hanna Gerrie and Taylor Mclellan. In the second period it was the Rams once again and Taylor assisted by Hanna would make it 2-0. The Sarnia Sting continued to pressure the Rams and in the third the Rams would finally feel the Sting as Sarnia got on the scoreboard. Sarnia would continue to pressure the Rams but the girls were able to hold off the Sting and take the first game 2-1. Game MVP went to Taryn North.
In the second game of this Tournament the Rams would have to face South Bruce. This team was undefeated in their regular season and the Rams knew they would have to give a much better effort than the night before against Sarnia. The Girls came well rested and ready to play. The Rams started the scoring off in the first when Haven Leblanc pounced on a rebound from a high shot from Addie Fisher. In the second with one of the Rams in the Penalty Box South Bruce would get the tying goal. It didn't take very long for the Rams to retake the lead and 2 minutes later Addie put the Rams ahead again. Although South Bruce tried to get back in this game the Rams would have nothing of the sort and Addie would strike two more times in the third period to blow this game wide open. Late in the third period the Rams ran into penalty trouble and had to kill off a 5 on 3 for 1.5 minutes. With amazing defense and great goal tending the Girls didn't give South Bruce anything. The Rams were on fire, and i mean literally on fire because with less than 3 minutes left in this game the fire alarm was pulled in the arena in an attempt to cool off these Rams. When the girls finally returned to the ice and finished rolling on the ice to put themselves out, the game resumed. South Bruce pulled their goalie and with 35 seconds left in the game were able to make the score 4-2. The Rams were just to much for South Bruce to handle and were playing great as a team. MVP for the Game went to Addie Fisher!! Congrats for her first 4 point Game and her first Hat Trick of the season.
The third game of the tournament was against The Lucknow/Wingham Sepoys. The Rams were playing some great hockey and knew they couldn't let up since Lucknow was the only other undefeated team in the Tournament. The first period was a very close checking game and each team wasn't giving either team much room to skate. With only 2 minutes left in the first period it was Taryn North finding a loose puck in front of Lucknow's Goalie and the Rams would end the first up by one. The second period saw both teams continue this very tight checking game and neither team's defense would break. With the game 1-0 going into the third the Rams were looking for the insurance goal and Lucknow wanted to tie this game up. It was the constant pressure from the Rams that would prevail and Addie Fisher assisted by Morgan Flanagan and Kyla Pacheco would give the Rams the insurance goal they were looking for. Lucknow continued to play a strong checking game but were unable to break the solid defense of the Rams. Rams win the third game 2-0. Game MVP went to Morgan Flanagan and Congrats to Marissa Cottingham for her 13th Shut out of the Season. The Rams were the first seeded team and the only undefeated team in the tournament at this point. Onto the semi finals for game number four.
The Rams would have to defeat The Sarnia Sting again. The first time the Girls played this team they were a little tired and knew they could play a much better game. Sarnia also knew that they had to play better if they were going to beat these Rams. Sarnia came out very strong and started the scoring in the first and the Rams found themselves down by one. Starting the second period down by a goal the Rams did what they have all season and never gave up and battled back. Two minutes into the second period Addie Fisher assisted by Aalia Gade tied this game up. Within another 1.5 minutes Hanna Gerrie put the Rams ahead. Still in the second period Taylor Mclellan would add yet another assisted by Taryn and Hanna. In the third period Sarnia continued to pressure the Rams and were not going out without a fight. With 2 minutes left in the third Sarnia would make it a one goal game. With time running out Sarnia pulled their goalie to try and tie up the game, but it would be Morgan Flanagan that would launch a shot from her own end and it sailed all the way down the ice and into Sarnia's net for the empty net goal. The Rams were onto the Finals. Game MVP went to Marissa Cottingham.
The Last time the Rams were in the Finals was back in October at the Clearview Tournament where they came up short and lost 1-0 to the Ottawa Ice. The girls remembered that feeling and how hard they had worked and how much they wanted that win. The Girls were not going to let another opportunity slip away. The fifth and final game was against South Bruce. The Rams knew what it would take and were ready for this game. The game started with some amazing defense on both sides and some equally amazing goal tending. The South Bruce Goalie was playing much better than the first time and was able to shut down the Rams in the first period. The second period was another tough period for each team. The Rams were getting chances but the South Bruce Goalie was standing strong. The Rams defense played another amazing period backed by some great Goal tending. Into the Third period and the game was still scoreless. The Rams were the stronger team but the momentum was going back and forth. With 8 minutes left in the third period the Rams would get called for the first penalty of the game. The girls have an amazing penalty kill and knew they would have to hold off South Bruce like they did in the first game. The Rams did just that and never gave South Bruce anything and the girls were pumped. Within one minute of killing off the Penalty it would be the Rams that would break this scoreless game. Addie Fisher assisted by Haven Leblanc and Morgan Flanagan would put the Rams ahead. South Bruce threw everything they had at the Rams but the Girls were just not losing this game. The entire team stepped up and made sure that South Bruce would not get the tying goal. The Rams went onto win the Final Game 1-0.
The Pee Wee C Girls won the 65th Young Canada Week Tournament. What was amazing in this tournament was how solid of a team they were. The Girls had to beat the 2nd place team twice, which they did. South Bruce was unable to get an even strength goal against the Rams. Sarnia came third in the tournament and the Rams had to beat them twice as well. The Rams went on to win every game of the tournament and out scored their opponents 13-5 and had two shut outs. An amazing effort by this team!! I know that myself and every parent of every player is very proud of how well these girls played as individuals and as a team. It also wasn't just the parents cheering on the Rams as many of the other teams were as well. It was great to see the amount of sportsmanship that these girls at this level displayed for each other. CONGRATS to the MOUNT FOREST RAMS PEE WEE C GIRLS 65th ANNUAL YOUNG CANADA WEEK CHAMPIONS!!