The Kunkel Bus Lines Bantam AE’s are Champions in South Muskoka Minor Hockey’s 1st annual Kris Clement Memorial Hockey Tournament in Bracebridge. Two of the three opposing teams were familiar to the squad with Midland and Elmvale in our league. South Muskoka was the host team.
Owen Sound opened the tournament slowly with a 4 2 loss to Elmvale on Saturday morning. Scoring came from Kwyn Acton assisted by Tayan MacMillan and from Tayan MacMillan assisted by Logan McComb.
The second game was played against the host South Muskoka
Bears. Beware the bears was fitting as
the boys in Muskoka were big and strong.
Goals came from Jake Richardson and Logan McComb with assists from MacNeil
and Bumstead. Owen Sound took a 2 1 lead late into the third period only to
surrender a late goal. As the parents
looked on in dismay the seconds ticked off the clock with Muskoka penning us in
our own end. The puck was finally
cleared and Dustin Lantz pushed hard up the middle with two Muskoka defencemen between him and
the goal. He pushed the puck to the left
side, skated hard to the net and slid a backhander past the Muskoka goalie
scoring the game winner with 5.7 seconds left on the clock! This never give up, fight to the end
determination would prove useful during the next two games!!
The team then enjoyed some well-deserved R&R back at the
hotel with a family potluck and an early curfew after a swim and a few bedtime
stories from Coach Bob!
Game three started on Sunday at 8am sharp vs a familiar
league rival Midland Centennials. The
rather heated affair ended favorably with Owen Sound taking the victory by a
score of 2 to 1. Both goals came from Dustin Lantz with assists from Oakley
Paterson, Tayan MacMillan and Chris Bumstead.
A team brunch was in order after that one!! With full stomachs the bears from Owen Sound
were ready for a rematch with the bears from Muskoka.
Facing the host team with a “full house” home town crowd
cheering is tough but a solid victory in game two left the team full of confidence.
The game was played tightly by both teams throughout with Owen Sound taking the
lead and keeping it for the entire game despite gutting out penalty kill after penalty
kill and a rather unsportsmanlike episode by a lone Muskoka player after the
final whistle. The final score ended 4
to 2 for the Attack. Goals came from Logan
McComb, Jake Richardson and 2 more from Dustin Lantz. Assists came from MacMillan, Paterson, Acton,
Lantz, McManaman and Kearney.
Bear hunting is rough work and rarely ends without scares
but those scares have great stories behind them. In our case a picture with the team holding the
inaugural tournament trophy. Well done
team.