Nov 27, 2011 | Dan Culbert | 396 views
Waterloo Tournament Recap
Playing in the Waterloo Memorial Tournament, the Contractors Rental Supply Midgets again found themselves in tough against some of the top ranked AA teams in the province. However the team continues to develop a personality and style as they competed hard through all 4 of their games.
Playing in a tough bracket which like their first tourney, included the eventual champion, the 99ers battled through each game making strides in improvement to overall team play. In the first game, Brantford lost 2-0 to the Flamborough Sabres a team ranked in the top 25 in the province. The team started quickly held a distinct advantage in territory and speed and had several chances to open the scoring over the first 5 minutes of play. Unfortunately Flamborough got on the board first with just under 4 minutes to play in the first on a quick 1 timer from the slot that beat Ben Beechey up high to the glove side. The game remained at 1-0 through to the third when Flamborough capitalized on a PP to extend their lead until 2-0. Both teams exchanged chances, but the two goalies held firm and the game ended without any further scoring.
In the second game, the 99ers took on the 31st ranked Windsor Spitfires, again playing hard early but eventually running into penalty trouble and two PP goals enroute to a 6-2 loss. Brantford opened the scoring when Larry Hill intercepted a pass just inside the Spitfire's blueline and walked in to beat the goalie high to the stick side. The lead however was short lived as a long shot beat the Brantford goalie 3 minutes later to even the score heading into the 2nd. Windsor then scored the next 5 goals including 2 PP markers as they extended their lead to 6-1 before Hill answered with his second of the game for Brantford with RJ Huszczo picking up a helper on the third period marker to close out the scoring.
The lessons learned in their second game about work ethic and character carried over into the third game as the CRS 99ers battled the 4th ranked North York Knights. Despite falling by a 6-0 score the game was a well played contest. The 99ers did played a disciplined game taking only 2 minor penalties and did not surrender any PP goals in the game. Brantford trailed 3-0 after one, but were the victims of a couple of bad bounces in the last two minutes of the period leading to two open shots which increased a 1-0 lead in a hard fought contest. North York extended their lead to 4-0 half way through the second, and it looked like the 99ers were going to hold them to a single tally in the frame only to have a shot deflect off a skate go in and then after Connor Curtin made the save on a breakaway with only 7 seconds to go in the period, a wild slap at the puck found it's way in from behind the net with 4 seconds to go. The 99ers played a sound third and competed hard against a better opponent and held the Knights scoreless in the third.
In their last game, the 99ers were the story of two different teams in their game against the Root River Rangers from Sault St. Marie. Taking all of the penalties in the first, the team fought to find some flow and momentum, but still came out even as the period ended scoreless. Finally being rewarded for hard work the 99ers were with PP of their own which quickly turned into a 5 on 3 by pressuring the Rangers net and drawing a second penalty in a mad scramble in front. After sustained pressure, and numerous shots from the point, again bad luck struck as a Brantford defenseman broke his stick on a shot and was unable to play a puck passed back to him, allowing the Rangers a breakaway to open the scoring on the short handed tally. The visitors then increased their lead on a PP goal with just under 4 minutes to go in the period and it looked like the period would end this way until Brent Smolarz's blast from the point cut the lead to 2-1 with less than a minute to go. Brantford pressed hard and were by far the better team in the third, only to have a shot block attempt go awry as the puck changed direction and beat a helpless Brantford goalie to extend the lead to 3-1. Despite almost constant pressure for the rest of the period, the 99ers were unable to come back and the score remained the same as the game ended.
North York and Windsor moved on from our pool with North York defeating Barrie 3-2 in O/T in one semi and Windsor losing 2-1 to Kanata from Ottawa in the other. North York then handed Kanata a 5-1 loss in the final to capture the championship.