The
Ingersoll Express Bantam Rep team opened the 2016 Silver Stick Tournament with
a “nail biter” against the Flames of Penetang.
Parker Hodgson and Brennan Rupert worked a perfect “give and go” to put Ingersoll on the board early in the first period. Nathan Graham scored Ingersoll’s second goal with a floater from the blue line that fooled the Penetang goaltender. The Flames fought back to make it a one goal game before the end of the second. Both teams were forced to kill off several minor penalties. Bone crunching body checks were delivered by players from both sides as play continued. Ingersoll had good scoring chances in the third and managed to hold off the Flames to take the opening game of the tournament 2 to 1.
Ingersoll’s second game of the tournament was another close one, our Bantam boys doing battle with the host Wasaga Beach Stars. Ethan Emerson got things rolling for the Express, surprising the Stars net minder with a booming slap shot from the blue line. Symon Hutcheson earned an assist on the play. The Stars fought back to take a 2 to 1 lead before the end of the second frame. Six goals were scored in an exciting third period, Daniel Martineau, Ethan Emerson, Isaac Westlake and Ben White beating the Stars goalie, with assists going to Parker Hodgson and Christian Lee. Penalties almost cost Ingersoll the game as Wasaga countered with a pair of goals, but the Express held on for a 5 – 4 victory.
Next, Ingersoll faced off against the Oro Thunder in a match that would see the winner advance to the tournament final. The boys came up with a solid all around effort, their best by far of the three games leading up to the finals. Ben White opened the scoring for Ingersoll, and Parker Hodgson picked the top corner making it 2-0 before the first period ended. In the second, defenseman Nathan Graham levelled Oro forward number 5, who struggled to make his way to the bench. Oro cut the Ingersoll lead in half with a power play goal with two minutes to go in the middle period. In the third, Hodgson took a return pass from Ethan Emerson and beat the Thunder goaltender to restore Ingersoll’s two goal lead. Minutes after taking a hard shot to the ankle and limping to the bench, Ingersoll forward Ben White shook the building as he delivered what was probably the hardest hit of the tournament. Logan White continued to do an excellent job of absorbing shots and controlling rebounds. Isaac Westlake was surprised to find the puck on his stick as he emerged from the penalty box after serving two minutes for boarding. Number 17 slid the puck into the empty net, Oro having pulled their goalie for the extra attacker seconds earlier. A late penalty to Brennan Rupert gave the Thunder some life, but the Express held on to defeat Oro 4 to 1, setting up an exciting rematch with Penetang in the final.
With everything on the line in the championship game, Ingersoll’s three assistant captains Parker Hodgson, Ethan Emerson and Nathan Graham stepped up, showing grit and determination as they lead the Express to a thrilling overtime victory. The feisty Flames came out hungry, looking to avenge the defeat handed to them by our boys earlier in the tournament. Speedy Penetang forward number 91 beat Logan White upstairs to give the Flames the early lead. Joel Verspeeten took a nasty elbow to the head, but no call was made on the play. Ben Brown and Daniel Martineau looked steady on the blue line as the Express held Penetang to a single goal in the first. With Ingersoll pressing to tie the game in the second, Brennan Rupert rushed the length of the ice, stick handling around five Penetang players before being stopped by the Flames’ goaltender. As play continued, Christian Lee powered his way to the net for a shot, Parker Hodgson buried the rebound allowing Ingersoll to pull even as cheerleader Scott Westlake and the Ingersoll fans went wild in the stands. Before the period ended, a fired up number 14 scored his second of the game from an impossible angle. In the third, the Flames fought back to tie the game before Ethan Emerson took a pass from Sy Hutcheson and restored Ingersoll’s one goal lead with a wicked wrist shot that beat the goalie top shelf. Penetang refused to die, ringing one off the post with five minutes remaining and tying the game with a late powerplay goal to force overtime. At 7:53 of the extra frame, Parker Hodgson completed his hat trick and the celebration was on! The victory earned the Bantam rep team a spot in the International Silver Stick tournament in Forest mid-January.
Submitted by M. Martineau