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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2013-04-11, Page 8PAGE 8. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 2013. Blyth Brussels Minor Hockey REGISTRATION for the 2013/2014 Hockey Season is now being received Registration dates are: April 15 from 7 - 9 pm in Blyth Arena & April 16 from 7-9 pm Brussels Arena Any further information needed contact Diane Howson at registration@blythbrusselsminorhockey.ca or 519-523-9050. Armstrong, Brophy honoured at Ironmen awards Sports Captain Aaron Armstrong and defenceman Brett Brophy were the big winners at the Wingham Ironmen awards banquet held Saturday evening at the Knights of Columbus Hall of the North Huron Wescast Community Complex. Armstrong was the team’s leading point-getter as he set a Western Junior C Hockey League record of 124 points on 50 goals and 74 assists in 35 games. In the playoffs, he had five goals and three assists in six games. He was also the regular season Most Valuable Player. After the awards presentation, Armstrong said it felt pretty special to be named the Most Valuable Player. “This is a prestigious award,” he said. “I definitely couldn’t have done it without my teammates, so I definitely owe it all to them. “We just had a fantastic year as a team and it’s the best group of guys I’ve ever played with,” he said. “I just feel honoured to play with them.” Armstrong said he hopes to be back with the Ironmen as an over- ager next season. “That decision is up to Robbie [Harrison, general manager], but I hope to be back in an Ironmen uniform again,” he said. Brophy was named the top defenceman on the team, finishing fifth in team scoring with 30 points and played in 34 games. The assistant captain was also the winner of the most sportsmanlike award. He was the co-winner of the Executive Award with first year forward Drew Gross. The award is for ability and desire. Netminder Keegan Woodman was the winner of the playoff most valuable player award. He turned aside 177 shots and posted a 2.97 goals against average in the six- game quarter-final series with the Mount Forest Patriots. Rookie of the Year honours were bestowed upon forward Derek Elliott. Playing in 34 games, he collected 34 goals and 24 assists for 58 points. Matt Baker was named the most improved player of the year. The attendance and dedication award was presented to Darren Kerr. The defenceman played in all 36 regular season games and all six playoff games. Four overage players were presented with their jerseys. The four were Joey Terwoord, Evan Ducharme of Brussels, Drew Shantz and Nic Carter. Prior to the awards presentation, players were presented the team’s third jersey.By Jim Brown The Citizen Ironmen receive awards The Wingham Ironmen hosted their annual awards banquet on Saturday evening at the Knights of Columbus Hall at the North Huron Wescast Community Complex. Shown are members of the team with the hardware they won as well as coach and staff. Back row, from left are general manager Rob Harrison, vice-president Ken Hogg, Keegan Woodman, Drew Gross, Matt Baker and president Jay Stevens. Front row, from left, are: Darren Kerr, Brett Brophy, Aaron Armstrong and Derek Elliottt. (Denny Scott photo) Saugeen Maitland Lightning take provincial bronze The Saugeen Maitland Midget AA Lightning capped off a very successful season this past weekend, winning a bronze medal at the OWHA Provincial Championships, held this year in Ottawa to coincide with the Women’s World Championships. The Bolts started the round robin portion of the tournament on Thursday with a 3-1 win over the Barrie Sharks. Captain Kelly Gribbons got things started depositing one in the back of the net with assists going to Harley Westman and Tori Terpstra. Ashlee Lawrence then scored the first of her two goals with the lone assist awarded to Maddie Duncan. Miranda Lantz and Dawn Pletsch both assisted on Lawrence’s second insurance marker. The Lightning then faced the rival Bluewater Hawks and fell by a 2-1 score with two late tallies from the Hawks. The Lighting had held a 1-0 lead for most of the game on a goal from Kailyn Soers with assists from Jamie Simpson and Pletsch. The loss to Bluewater meant the Lightning needed a win over the Etobicoke Dolphins to make it on to the tournament playoff round. The Bolts came through with a 2-0 shutout of the Dolphins. Soers scored the first goal on a blast from the point with assists from defence partner Jordyn Sholdice and Gribbons. Lantz iced it late with an empty netter. Shea Tiley was solid in net, stopping all Dolphin shots for the donut. Finishing second in their pool meant the Lightning needed to play an additional qualifying game on Saturday afternoon against the Brampton Canadettes. The game was scoreless after regulation and needed overtime to determine the winner. Tori Terpstra came through early in the first overtime period breaking in from the right-hand boards and beating the Brampton tender upstairs to secure the 1-0 win. Gribbons and Duncan assisted on the play. The win over Brampton secured a quarter-final match-up with long- time nemesis, the Whitby Wolves. Gribbons again opened the scoring for the Bolts with assists from Westman and Duncan, but the Wolves tied it up in the third period with a power play marker. Once again the game remained tied after three periods and required extra time to determine a winner. Four periods of overtime later, the game was still knotted at one with both teams running on fumes. Early in the fourth overtime, Lawrence stuffed one in the net on a wrap-around giving the Bolts the win and a semi- final berth. Sunday morning in the semi- finals, the Lightning faced last year’s champions, the Thunder Bay Queens. Speculation was that the Bolts would not have much left in the tank after playing seven periods of hockey, late into the previous night. The Queens scored two early goals, but the Lightning added one of their own with Cassidy Colhoun scoring one of her typical workman goals on a rebound from line-mates Courtney Surridge and Lexi Smith. The Lightning threatened to tie the game late, but could not score the equalizer even with their tender pulled for an extra attacker. The semi-final loss put the Bolts into the bronze medal game Sunday afternoon against the Nepean Wildcats, their seventh game of the weekend. Odds-makers would have counted the Lightning out, after playing the equivalent of four games inside of 24 hours. However, the Bolts gutted out a 2-1 victory to claim the bronze medal and the first OWHA Provincial banner in the history of Saugeen Maitland Midget AA Lightning hockey. Terpstra opened the scoring for Saugeen Maitland on a nice set-up from Gribbons and Sarah Biesenthal. Surridge then tipped in a Simpson point shot midway through the third period with the second assist going to Smith. Goaltender Morgan Baker stood on her head, getting peppered with more shots as the game progressed as fatigue set in for the Bolts. The only Nepean goal game on a power play late with their goaltender pulled for a 6-on-4 advantage. Congratulations Lightning. See you next fall, tryouts start next weekend. For try-out schedule visit www.saugeenmaitlandlightning.com Brussels Skating Club Can Skate & Power Skating Registration Tuesday, April 16 7-9 pm at the BMG Arena Big winners The Saugeen Maitland Midget AA Lightning Girls Team had plenty to smile about as the team recently triumphed over the Nepean Wildcats to secure a provincial bronze medal in their league. The win came after several hard-fought matches against both tough teams and the clock. (Denny Scott photo)