This past weekend the Stephens Equipment Grey-Bruce Highlanders Bantams played in the Waterloo Gold Puck Tournament, starting with an early 08:30 game at the RIM Park Complex against the Cambridge Hawks.
The game started off slowly, with a scoreless first period. At 6:15 of the second period Jordan Vanhaelemeesch (Saugeen Shores) opened the scoring, on a nice set-up from behind the net by Jamison Buck (Collingwood), with Caleb Stephens (Collingwood) also in on the play. At the 2:50 mark Garrett McFadden (Kincardine) scored from the top of the left circle during a man-advantage situation, assisted by Tyler Rolfe (Shelburne) and Buck. Into the third period, Ben Van Ooteghem (Saugeen Shores) scored at 12:10 after being set up by Vanhaelemeesch and Buck. The Highlanders made it 4-0 at 10:48 when McFadden again scored on the power-play with a shot from the deep slot after being fed with a pass by Van Ooteghem – Brenden Welsh (Owen Sound) also in on the play for an assist. At 4:20 Tyler Fassl’s bid for a shut-out was spoiled when the Hawks scored on a shot from the slot area.
The Stephens Equipment crew’s next game started at 3:00 pm in the RIM Centre against the London Jr. Knights Green. The Highlanders got off to a good start when Darcy Witt (Collingwood) stole the puck from a Knight’s defender at their blue-line and broke in alone to score at 5:19 of the first period. The next goal didn’t come until 10:43 of the second period when Van Ooteghem scored on a set-up by Hunter Robins-Gibbons. At 14:27 of the third period Stephens scored on a nice bit of passing with Van Ooteghem and Vanhaelemeesch. Stephens then made it a 4-0 score when he broke away with the puck while the team was short-handed and beat the Knights goalie. London broke Nick Redman’s shut-out bid at 8:43 with a snap-shot to the top of the net. The Highlanders closed out the scoring with goals at 2:45 and 1:29, McFadden scoring with assists by Welsh and Vanhaelemeesch; Van Ooteghem scoring with assists by Stephens and Carter Franks (Dundalk) for a 6-1 win.
Saturday morning saw the Highlanders playing the Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets at 9:30 am in the Albert McCormick Arena. The game started off slowly, as both teams worked out the cob webs from their heads. At 2:15 the Ohio team opened the scoring for a 1-0 lead. Play started picking up in the second period and at 8:26 Spencer Elder (Owen Sound) went in alone on a break away to tie the score up at 1-1, Ethan Skinner (Kincardine) and Kyle Betts (Flesherton) assisting on the play. Early in the third period at 14:43 Ohio went ahead on a short-handed goal. The Stephens Equipment team worked hard to get the even-up goal but ran into penalty problems late in the game and couldn’t mount any serious bid until the dying seconds, with Betts having an opportune chance in front of the net only to miss the net. Tyler Fassl played a strong game, coming up with some key saves through the game to keep the Highlanders in the game.
For Game 4 the Stephens Equipment crew had the Kingston Greater Area Jr. Frontenacs to face, in the Waterloo Memorial REC Complex. They needed to win this game to go on to the semi-finals. The first period saw the Highlanders start well and they were going head to head with the Frontenacs, generating some good scoring chances. At 7:15 Van Ooteghem got a standing start break-away from the Highlanders blue line and deked the Frontenacs’ goalie to open the scoring. Rolfe assisted on the play. After the first period both teams went off while the ice was flooded. Something must have been said in the Kingston dressing room because as soon as the puck was dropped to start the second the Frontenacs were all over the Highlanders. At the 10:48 mark Kingston tied the game up at 1-1. Closer to the end of the period, at 3:23, Kingston scored again to take a 2-1 lead and then a 3-1 lead at 1:38. The Highlanders goalie, Nick Redmond played solidly and prevented the game from becoming a wash out as he faced 20 shots in the second period alone. In the third period the Highlanders settled down and played better as they adjusted to the Kingston game. At 12:38 Kingston scored to make it 4-1. That goal seemed to take the wind out of the Highlanders sails. Nearing the end of the game Vanhaelemeesch deflected in a McFadden shot from the point but it was called back for high-sticking the puck. The Highlanders started to turn the game around after that and Stephens scored at 2:19 to make it a 4-2 game, assisted by Van Ooteghem and Hunter Robins-Gibbons (North Bruce Peninsula). But it was too late in the game for any comeback as the Frontenacs barred up the door and wouldn’t allow any more goals to be scored, ending the game with a 4-2 score.
The Stephens Equipment crew played well in this tournament and faced two good teams on the last day only to come up short of making the semi-finals on Sunday. The team resumes regular season play on Dec 17th against the Hamilton Bulldogs for a home game in the Markdale arena at 2:00 pm.