U13 A, U15 C Huron Heat bring home tournament gold from Guelph, Exeter
BY SHAWN LOUGHLIN
The U13 A Huron Heat found success in the Guelph Winter Classic over the weekend, hosted by the Guelph Junior Gryphons, winning gold after an undefeated six-game run during which the team only allowed one goal.
Play began for the girls on Friday morning with a 2-0 win over the Ayr Rockets, followed by another 2-0 win over the host Guelph Junior Gryphons that afternoon.
The next morning, the team ended its game with the St. Catharines Brock Junior Badgers in a scoreless tie, followed by a 4-0 victory over the Brampton Canadettes, earning the team a place in Sunday’s semifinal round, which meant a game with the Caledon Coyotes and another 4-0 win for the Heat.
In the finals, the locals took on the Brantford Ice Cats and won by a score of 3-1, securing gold for the tournament.
Also in Guelph at the Winter Classic, the U15 A Heat made it to the semifinal round, but came up just short of the tournament’s big game.
The team opened on Friday with a 4-0 win over the host Guelph Junior Gryphons and a 3-2 victory over the Mississauga Hurricanes, followed by a 2-2 tie with the North Simcoe Capitals and a 2-1 loss to the Ancaster Avalanche, both on Saturday.
The next day, the Heat played the Ancaster Avalanche again in the semifinals, but fell once again by a score of 3-0, ending their tournament.
Not to be outdone, the U15 C Heat won their own gold medal at Exeter’s Pink on the Rink tournament over the weekend. The team was one of four Heat teams that made the trip south for the tournament.
On Friday morning, the team began tournament play with a 1-0 win over the Ilderton Jets, followed by another 1-0 win over the South Bruce Blades that night.
On Saturday, the Heat continued its winning ways with a 2-0 victory over the West Oxford Inferno, punching its ticket to Sunday play. That meant a date in the semifinals with the Wallaceburg Lakers, which the Heat won by a score of 1-0, followed by a 2-0 win over the South Bruce Blades in the finals, capping off a second undefeated tournament run for the Heat over the weekend, with the team refusing to let up a single goal.
The U11 C Heat made it to the semifinals on Sunday, but fell short to the Ilderton Jets by a score of 4-2, ending their tournament.
Things started promisingly enough with a 3-2 win over the Sarnia Lady Sting on Friday morning followed by a 4-3 win over the Wingham 86ers. The next morning, the locals shut-out the Bluewater Hawks by a score of 4-0, setting up the semifinal match-up with the Ilderton Jets that didn’t go the Heat’s way on Sunday, with the locals falling by a score of 4-2.
The U9 C and U9 HL Heat teams also took part in the tournament, though no scores were kept for those games. The U9 HL team played the Central Perth Predators and the Bluewater Hawks on Friday, while the U9 C Heat played the St. Marys Rock and the Lucan Irish that day.
On Saturday, the U9 HL Heat played the Lucan Irish and the Ilderton Jets, while the U9 C Heat played games with the Bluewater Hawks and the Wingham 86ers.
In regular season action on Monday, Dec. 9, the U13 C Heat lost to the Twin Centre Hericanes on the road by a score of 1-0.
On Sunday, the U15 B Heat lost to the Saugeen Shores Storm by a score of 3-2 in Clinton, the U13 B Heat tied the Kincardine Kinucks at three in Brussels, the U18 C Heat lost to the Mitchell Meteors by a score of 6-1 in Seaforth and the U18 BB Heat lost to the Walkerton Capitals by a score of 2-0 on the road.
Also that day, the Senior C team played Elma Logan in Brussels and the Senior Heat played the Twin Centre Hericanes on the road, but scores were not available for those games at press time. The U9 B Heat played the Roadrunners in Cambridge and the U7 team hosted the London Devilettes in Clinton, but scores were not kept for those games.
On Saturday, Dec. 7, the U13 HL Heat beat the Mooretown Lady Flags on the road by a score of 3-1, the U18 C Heat beat the Wilmot Wolverines by a score of 2-1, also on the road, the U15 B Heat lost to the St. Marys Rock by a score of 3-0 in St. Marys and the U18 BB Heat lost to the Brantford Ice Cats at home in Clinton by a score of 2-1. Also that night, the Senior C team played the Wolverines in Wilmot and the U11 HL team played the West Oxford Inferno in Thamesford, but scores for those games were unavailable at press time. The U9 B Heat hosted the Waterloo Ravens that day in Seaforth as well, but a score was not kept for that game.
On Tuesday, Dec. 10, the U18 C Heat played the Ilderton Jets in Komoka, but a score for that game was unavailable at press time.
Looking ahead, this weekend the U9 HL team will head to Mount Forest to take part in the Meagan Byers Tournament, while the U18 C Heat will be in Saugeen Shores for the regional Silver Stick tournament.
In Mount Forest, the U9 HL Heat will open on Friday with a game against the Mount Forest Rams and the U18 C Heat will play the Kincardine Kinucks that day in Tiverton to open their tournament. The next day, the U9 HL team will play the Walkerton Capitals and two Kitchener Lady Rangers teams, while the U18 C Heat will open with a game against the Wingham 86ers, followed by contests with the Sarnia Lady Sting and the Central Perth Predators.
In regular season action on Friday, the U11 HL team will play the South Huron Sabres in Blyth. The next day, the U15 C Heat will host the Mitchell Meteors in Goderich, the U13 B Heat will play the South Huron Sabres on the road and the U13 C Heat will also play the South Huron Sabres, but in an exhibition game in Blyth.
The U13 A Heat will play the London Devilettes on the road that day, while the U7 team will play the Lady Sting in Sarnia, the U11 A team will play the Devilettes in London and the U18 BB Heat will host the Wilmot Wolverines in Clinton. The U15 A Heat will play the Bluewater Hawks that night in an exhibition game on the road.
On Sunday, the U13 A Heat will play the Mooretown Lady Flags and the U11 A Heat will play the Bluewater Hawks, both in Clinton, while the U15 B Heat will play the St. Marys Rock and the U13 HL team will play the Mooretown Lady Flags, both in Brussels.
The U9 C Heat will play the Panthers in St. Thomas that day, while the U9 B Heat will play the Junior Gryphons in Guelph. The Senior C team will host the Wilmot Wolverines in Brussels that night and the Senior team will play the Woolwich Wild on the road.
Later next week, the U18 C Heat will host the South Huron Sabres in Blyth.