Carmeuse Lime Ltd was in full control of the puck Sunday
night as the clock counted down the last minutes of the third period of the
championship game against the South Kent Lightning at the Annual Groundhog
Tournament in Ridgetown. Though Carmeuse
Lime Ltd wore white, they were the visitors at the East Kent Arena, home ice of
the South Kent Lightning, and they knew it.
Carmeuse’s quest for a championship started two days prior during the evening of Friday January 2, when they faced-off against the St Marys Rock at 7:12 PM. Carmeuse’s forward, #12 Duncan Chevrier, assisted by #18 Jason Arts would score the first goal of the game at 1:09 of the second period. Arts, assisted by #19 Dawson Kays and #8 Sam Tasker, made the score 2-0 at 14:04 of the third period. Arts proved he wasn’t quite finished yet at 4:47, as he registered some offensive insurance on the board; this time with offensive support from #9 Ryan Cooper and Chevrier. The Carmeuse net-minder, #30 Ryan Calder, never relinquished a goal, doing his part for the 3-0 win.
Carmeuse would return home for a good night’s rest in preparation for Saturday’s game, where they wore black to face-off against the Goderich Sailors.
This game was every bit a goaltending dual and Carmeuse net-minder #1 Carson Rachar proved he was more than ready for it. At 3:36 of the second period, the Sailors were somehow successful in finding an opening past Rachar. It was the only goal Rachar would allow. Rachar backed a very determined, patient and focused team. This Carmeuse style of play paid a dividend when the dynamic duo of Chevrier and Arts made the score 1-1 at 10:17. Rachar would follow this with his own style of finesse as he made one final save in the last minute of the game, making sure the game ended 1-1 as the final buzzer sounded.
Carmeuse now led the tournament in points and would have a long wait until they once again faced-off against the St Marys Rock at 7:00 PM.
This game looked much like the game the night before. St Marys was wearing their dark blue jerseys and Carmeuse was in white. It looked as if the first period would end tied at zero; that is until 46.3 when St Marys scored the first goal of the game. Tanner Moon, Carmeuse #16, assisted by Chevrier would answer the goal at 8:25 of the second period. Three minutes and a bit later #19 Dawson Kays made the score 2-1. The St Marys offense proved it still had power at 2:44 of the third period as they got the puck by the Carmeuse net-minder, #30 Ryan Calder. The tie game would now go into a five minute, 3-on-3, sudden-death overtime period. The clock would countdown to 1:44 before the winning goal would be registered by #14 Chris Dimmers, assisted by Chevrier. Carmeuse would now wait to learn who they would face-off against in Sunday’s final game.
Sunday morning at 9:00 AM, the Goderich Sailors and the South Kent Lightning faced-off at centre ice of the East Kent Arena. When these two teams met Friday evening, the Sailors won 6-4, but on Sunday it was the Lightning’s turn to win, 4-2. Carmeuse would meet the Lightning at centre ice that afternoon.
The South Kent Lightning and the Carmeuse Lime Ltd Ingersoll Minor Midget teams play in the Shamrock League. The teams have met twice during regular season, once in Ingersoll and once in South Kent; each game ended in favour of South Kent. That be what it may, Carmeuse had not lost throughout the tournament. They had won twice and tied once; each of their wins happened when they wore their white jerseys, which they would wear this Sunday afternoon.
South Kent would start the game’s offense at 7:36 of the first period. Chevrier, assisted by #2 Jesse Carew responded at 6:48. South Kent made it 2-2 at 8:29 of the second period. It would be the last goal allowed by Carmeuse net-minder #30 Ryan Calder, but not be the last goal of the period, as Carmeuse would answer with three of their own; at 6:31, #10 Aaron Lonsberry, assisted by #16 Tanner Moon and #9 Ryan Cooper; at 1:30, Cooper, assisted by Dimmers; then, at 48.4, Dimmers, with the help of #15 Parker Moon, scored the last goal of the period.
As the third period got underway, the score was 4-2 in favour of Carmeuse. Carmeuse remained focused on playing a strong defensive game. When presented with a powerplay opportunity, T. Moon, assisted by Lonsberry, made the score 5-2 at 11:15. Chevrier followed this with a shorthanded goal at 8:03. The arena seemed to fill with a resounding silence as the clock counted down the final minutes of the game. The Carmeuse powerplay would once again be rewarded at 2:05, when Dimmers, assisted by #17 Christian Johnston and Cooper made the score 7-2. Carmeuse would leave as 2015 Groundhog Tournament Champions.
More tournament pictures are posted at GROUNDHOG TOURNAMENT
Carmeuse has two games this week. Tuesday the team hosts the Strathroy Jr Rockets and Friday Carmeuse travels to Ilderton to face the Jets.