The Eganville Eagles U15 team capped off a great weekend by going undefeated at the Osgoode Fall Classic Tournament November 4th to 6th and took home the Championship by defeating the North Dundas Demons by a score of 5-2.
Game 1 – Friday Nov 4th at 12:30pm vs Gananoque Islanders (Eagles 5 – Islanders 0)
It was a Friday afternoon start to the tournament for the Eagles and they quickly found themselves down a player when Carson MacLean was sent to the box for tripping. The Eagles killed off the penalty and for MacLean who then late in the first showed his appreciation. MacLean positioned himself in the slot when Eagles defenseman Justin Johnson wired a slapshot towards the net. MacLean tipped the puck giving the Islanders’ goalie no chance.
The Eagles would cruise through the remainder of the game with goals by Cody Belaire (2 – Assists MacLean and Parker Pilon), Gavin MacFarlane (Assist Alex Purdie), and Pilon (unassisted). Erik Seguin and Silas Hoffman shared net minding duties for the shut out.
Game 2 – Friday Nov 4th at 7:00pm vs Kanata Storm (Eagles 6 – Storm 1)
U15 Eagles finished off their Friday night round robin tournament play with a 6-1 victory over Kanata Storm. Early in the first period, Carson MacLean positioned himself to the left of the slot. A hard slap pass from Parker Pilon was quickly tipped by MacLean’s stick and found the back of the net just forty seconds into the game to open the scoring. Less than two minutes later Kanata Storm would draw the equalizer when the Storm swarmed the crease and were able to bang a bouncing puck past Eagles goalie Erik Seguin.
The Eagles were not discouraged and quickly regained the lead in the first period with goals from Cody Belaire and Justin Johnson, finishing the frame up 3-1.
Off the opening face off in the second period, Alex Purdie won the draw which was picked up on the right side by Mariah Leahy and brought into the offensive zone. Mariah got the shot away on net with the rebound coming to her sister, Savannah Leahy who put the puck right back on net. Purdie was there to snag the rebound and put the puck into the net just 15 seconds into the period.
The Eagles didn’t stop there and netted two more with Belaire getting his second of the game and Everton Good adding one more in the third.
Game 3 – Saturday Nov 5th 9:00am vs North Dundas Demons (Eagles 2 – Demons 0)
The U15 Eagles were sluggish with an early Saturday morning start as round robin play continued at the Osgoode Fall Classic Tournament. They faced the only other undefeated team, North Dundas Demons.
Both teams traded chances through the first two period and it took until early in the third period before a goal was scored. Eagles Matteo Tantalo won a puck battle in the defensive zone and with a heads up play, made a clean pass to Cody Belaire had started to break out through the neutral zone. Belaire was able to get by two Demon defenders and chipped the puck in to get the Eagles on the board.
The pressure from the Demons continued with the Eagles weathering the storm and Belaire netting his second of the game with 13 seconds to go in the third period, bringing the final score 2-0.
Game 4 – Saturday Nov 5th 4:00pm vs Kanata Bandits (Eagles 3 – Bandits 0)
Not quite the way you want to have to finish a game. U15 Eagles were playing their fourth game in the round robin series against the Kanata Bandits. The Eagles were up 3-0 on goals by Parker Pilon (unassisted), Cody Belaire (Assist Pilon), and Justin Johnson (Assist Matteo Tantalo and Carson MacLean) when the Bandit’s goalie became injured and was unable to continue.
The game would conclude at that time as no replacement was available but in true Eagles sportsmanship, a goalie was loaned so a fun game could continue. Eagles netminder Silas Hoffman stepped up to cover the Bandits’ net and did a great job backstopping the Kanata team. There were smiles from players on both teams when the final buzzer sounded.
With the victory, the Eagles secured top spot in round robin play and punched their ticket to the finals on Sunday at 1:00pm.
Finals – Sunday Nov 6th at 1:00pm vs North Dundas Demons (Eagles 5 – Demons 2)
Going 4 and 0 in the tournament was a great accomplishment for the Eganville Eagles but a Championship was what the players had their sights on. The previous game against the North Dundas Demons had been tight, and the Eagles knew they would have to earn the victory.
Unlike the first time these teams faced off, it would not take until the third period for the scoring to begin. The Eagles were defensive when Carson MacLean was sent to the penalty box for head contact, with the Eagles working hard to kill the four minute penalty with Eagles goalie Silas Hoffman weathering the storm. Shortly after the penalty was over, Cody Belaire was able to pick up a loose puck along the boards and powered past a Demon defender along the outside, cutting in front of the net and sniping one past the goalie to have the Eagles draw first blood with 1:39 to go in the first (unassisted).
Early in the second, Eagles defender Justin Johnson was holding the blue line and pick off a Demon clearing attempt. Johnson loaded up and wired a laser beam shot the went over the shoulder of the Demon goalie and put the Eagles up 2-0 at 8:28.
The Demons were not discouraged and kept attacking. At 2:13 in the second the Demons were able to hold the puck in the zone and get a rebound past Eagles goalie Erik Seguin who had come in to relieve Silas Hoffman for the second half of the game, narrowing the gap to 2-1 (Demons scorer: Blake Doucette). The Eagles would quickly respond, regaining the two goal lead when Belaire would break in along and deke the goalie at 0:29 in the second to finish the period up 3-1.
The third was not the start the Eagles wanted, with the Demons quickly putting the pressure on. With the Demons on the attack, Jordyn Cavanagh’s shot found the mesh and put the Demons back within one at 9:06. Eagles Justin Johnson found himself deep in the Demons’ end along the corner boards and became engaged in a mutual physical battle for the puck. Johnson was able to centre the puck where Belaire’s shot was denied. Shortly before, Gavin MacFarlane had come off the bench and drove to the net, arriving as the play was underway and banged in Belaire’s rebound to put the Eagles up 4-1 at 8:17.
Bend, but never break became a theme for the Eagles over the weekend as again the found themselves short with Parker Pilon having to serve six minutes in the box after receiving a double minor for head contact immediately followed by an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. The Demons knew this would be their opportunity to come back and pushed hard to narrow the score. With quick changes the Eagles cycled fresh players onto the ice and worked to clear the puck every time the Demons tried to hold the zone. With just under two minutes to go and Pilon still in the box, Belaire would pick off the puck when the Demons tried to bring it through the neutral zone. Belaire would break in and complete his hat trick, scoring a shorthanded goal at 1:56. The Eagles would kill off the remainder of the penalty and secure the championship with a 5 – 2 victory.
