The U11 Tomlinson Napanee Stars claimed top spot at the Regional Silver Stick Tournament in Northumberland.
The tournament win qualifies the players, aged 9 and 10, to compete in the A Division of the International Silver Stick, which will take place in Sarnia Ont. in the new year.
Napanee defeated the Kanata Blazers, the North Durham Warriors, and the Northumberland Nighthawks on their way to the final game where they found their stiffest competition against a determined squad from Kanata. With only one goal posted by Keegan Wilde in the first, assisted by Ben Babcock, the Stars found themselves down early in the third period, trailing by two. Not only did they score three goals to take the win, they killed two penalties and shut out Kanata in the final period.
When Kanata scored their third goal, Stars head coach Dave Allore called a time out. He challenged the team saying, “There’s 14 minutes left, do you guys want to pack it in or do something about it?”
The players responded and Allore followed by challenging, “Alright, let’s get down to business.”
Seconds later, the players did just that. Chase Castignier won a faceoff to Babcock on the wing who sent it back to John Dorey on the point with a touch pass. Dorey passed it back to Castignier in front of the net, where he took a shot. Kanata’s goalie made the first save but Maddux Hartwick pounced, and buried the rebound making it 3-2 Kanata.
The Stars then had to kill a penalty, before Hartwick picked off a Kanata pass and beat their goalie cleanly from just inside the blue line with 6:43 to go.
Tied 3-3, the Stars killed another penalty during which Stars goaltender Clayton Manion robbed Kanata with an incredible, stretching, pad save.
With 4:30 left to play, Cooper Plumley broke up a Kanata play at centre ice, allowing Dorey to charge up the ice with the puck and slide it to Noah Raycroft at the Kanata blue line. Raycroft made no mistake, his wrist shot slipped passed the Kanata defence and found the net for the go ahead, and winning goal.
After the game an exhausted Raycroft could only exclaim, “I didn’t think it went in. It all happened so fast. I don’t know about you, but I feel good.”
Allore added: “This was a big character moment for our team and hopefully we can take that further into our league.”
The young Stars have an impressive record, having only lost to one team this season. The Stars’ next tournament stop will be the Capital Cup in Ottawa before heading the International Silver Stick Finals.
Any local businesses who would be interested in sponsoring our team or donating a raffle item to help our team fundraise, please reach out us at 2021u11bbstars@gmail.com.