Gene Harrington Champions!
The Major Bantam Jr. Stars travelled to Niagara Falls, NY this weekend for the 2011 Gene Harrington Invitational and left with hardware in tow.
Tournament began with a disappointing loss to St.Catharines on Friday afternoon. The Stars carried the play and outchanced the Warriors 38-12 but just couldn't put it together and left the rink having lost 4-3.
Game 2 on Friday was against a pesky private team (PAL Hockey) from Long Island, NY. In a game eerily similar to the first the Stars outchanced their opponents significantly but were tied 0-0 through 2 periods. 3 unanswered goals in the 3rd though meant the Stars would not be dealt the same fate.
Game 3 on Saturday afternoon with East Gwillimbury. Winner moves on to the finals, loser goes home. The Stars gave up an early goal but battled back and led by 2 before the halfway mark of the first period. The Stars didn't let up and the frustrated Eagles coached by guys dressed up as the Hanson brothers decided to play nasty. A fight, some ejections and an injury later the final score was 7-2 St.Thomas. Up next a rematch with St.Catharines for all the marbles.
We started the championship game with 10 skaters including an injured forward and a converted defenceman but the Stars didn't let that adversity get in their way. Losing a player to a game misconduct and incurring a few penalties along the way meant playing much of the 2nd period with only 4 (and sometimes fewer) players on the bench but that didn't stop the Stars either. A determined bunch who would be satisfied with nothing less than a win played hard both ways from the drop of the puck to the final buzzer. Final outcome, earlier loss avenged and championship won by a score of 9-1.
