Minor Midget, 2012-2013 (Grey-Bruce Highlanders AAA Minor Hockey Association)

            The Stephens Equipment Highlanders played in the SCTA Qualifier Tournament on the March 2nd weekend with a good chance at moving on to the OMHA Final Tournament.  All they had to do was finish in the top two spots in their division and then win the cross-over game against one of the top teams from the other division. It was doable but the team would have to be at the top of their game to do it, as anything less could cost them a win and a game in the final for a chance to win and to go on to the OMHA Final.

  On the first weekend of February the Stephens Equipment Highlanders had three games on the schedule, with the double-header booked for Saturday in Chesley – hosting the Niagara Falls Rivermen; and a late Sunday afternoon match in Burlington against the Eagles which conflicted with the Super Bowl game for any NFL football fans.  Luckily the power outage at the Super Dome delayed the game long enough so that those listening to it on the radio got the opportunity to watch most of the last quarter on TV once they reached the comfort of their couches.

    The Grey Bruce Stephens Equipment Minor Midget AAA Highlanders won both in the kitchen and on the ice at the OMHA Showcase in St. Catherine’s the weekend of Jan 26-27.  The OMHA Showcase features eleven teams from the South Central [SCTA] Minor Midget AAAs battling head-to-head in a series of games in front of Junior and University scouts. The event is promoted as a preview of the top picks in next spring’s Ontario Hockey League draft. 

    On the night of Jan 17th the Stephens Equipment Highlanders arrived in Peterborough to prepare for an early Friday 8:00 a.m. start against the Markham Majors in the Midget Tournament of Champions.  In last year’s Peterborough Bantam tournament the Highlanders played great hockey and made it as far as the semi finals.  They were looking forward to improving their results in this year’s tournament.   Other teams in their own division that they were scheduled to play games with were the Upper Canada Cyclones, Thunder Bay Kings and the Peterborough Petes.

    The end of the NHL lockout has certainly created a buzz around the hockey world as fans decide whether or not they are going to support the return of the favourite team to the ice.  The real question for the GBH Minor Midget’s was not who would be the favourite to win the Stanley Cup in the shortened NHL season but rather could they finally out-dual the Welland Southern Tier Admirals in their final meeting of the regular season after going 0-2-1 thus far.