After a long bus ride home from the NOHA Tournament of
Champions in Timmins this past weekend, the coaching staff are still in disbelief
of the fate that was handed to them. The Phi Dental Care Soo Jr Greyhounds were
favorites heading into the weekend with a 37-8-2 record and ranked 3rd
in Ontario. The boys showed their dominance through the round robin play out
scoring their opponents 13-0 in the first 3 games.
With the 3 wins against Sudbury (4-0), North Bay (3-0) and Copper Cliff (6-0), the team entered the elimination round Sunday morning sitting in the top seed. Their opponents would be the host team, Timmins North Stars, who had previously eliminated the Jr. Hounds from the Silver Sticks Finals in OT in December. Timmins had a rough go in the rounds robin, losing 4-2 to Sudbury, tying North Bay 2-2 and beating Copper Cliff by a 4-3 margin giving the a 1-1-1 record throughout the first 3 games. But Timmins had the confidence that they can compete with the Jr Hounds as they had beat them before.
When the puck dropped to start the game, the boys in red were ready and controlled the puck and the play for the entire first period. The North Stars did not have 1 shot on net in the first period. In the second period, the hounds struck first and continued to control the play, only allowing 3 shots on net but the hounds failed to connect to add to their lead with their scoring chances. In the third period, things didn’t change until half way through the period. The “Hockey Gods” decided to show up and continue their curse on the hounds. With only 6 mins remaining, a D to D pass was intercepted and Timmins went on a 2 on 2 rush that lead to a one timer shot going off the side of the net but instead of the puck going into the corner, it went back on the stick of the trailer and with a shot from the short side impossible angle, the puck went over the shoulder and in the net. Only 30 seconds later, a scramble in the Timmins end turned into a break for Timmins that lead to a shot on net from the inside of the circle, going off the knob of the goal stick dropping behind him and slowly crossing the line. That was the last time Timmins would enter the Soo’s zone but it was enough to eliminate the Jr Hounds from the Tournament. Even though the Phi Dental Care Soo Jr Greyhounds dominated 98% of the game and out shooting the North Stars 27-8, the NOHA championship was not in their cards and crushed their hope of advancing to the OHF Championship in North Bay.
Timmins would go on to come back and defeat Nickle City Sons in overtime to advance to the OHF Championships.
Many comments were heard by spectators, other coaches and parents that The 2007 Jr Hounds deserved to win the game because they were by far the better team but this is hockey and sometimes bounces don’t go your way, but the Jr Hounds would just like it to happen one of these times for them.
The coaches could not have asked anything more from the players. They played their game to a tee. Their team play has come a very long way since the beginning of the year and they should be proud of that. The boys held their heads high and showed great sportsmanship in this tough time. Games come and go, you win some and you lose some. This loss was not from the lack of effort or skill and after they realize that, they will see there will be more games to come and other opportunities to etch their mark.