Mar 07, 2011 | adouglas | 2628 views
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.