Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1980-04-16, Page 21ETS APT RE ONTARIO CROWN The. Exeter Kinsmen Midgets were crowned. Ontario's best "B." team when they clipped Bradford 5-3 at the rec centre,, Wed- nesday, holding on tenaciously in the final minutes as the visitors mounted a strong attack to extend the series beyond the fifth game, It was Exeter's first midget title and brings to five the number of Ontario championships. recorded by local teams since 1972. "We only need to play three good periods of hockey," coach 'Jack Fuller commented prior to the game and that's exactly what his chargers did as they carried the play throughout. But it took two big saves by netminder Rich Fletcher in the final five minutes and an empty net goal by Rick Lindenfield to settle the issue as Bradford took better advantage of the scoring opportunities they had. Exeter pressed to the attack from the opening faceoff and after near misses by Ed. Willis and Dave Shaw, they hit the scoreboard at the 1:01 mark When Jeff Rowe took, a pass from behind the net from John Kernick to find the range. The visitors knotted the count at the 1.7:01 .mark when Karl Webscholl won a faceeff to the right of 7leteber and his pass to captain Mike MeGuigan was blasted into the open corner. However, Exeter came right back a minute and a half later to take .a lead they never relinquished when Pete Tuckey batted a. flip pass from Rick Lindenfield into the top corner, The new Ontario cham- pions appeared to tike control of the game in ,the first two minutes of the second frame when they potted one to. take a 3-1 lead. Dave Jackson scored with a blazing drive from just inside the point at the tail- end of a power play that saw both Dave Shaw and Pete Tuckey foiled on close plays. Tuckey and Lindenfield drew the assists on the play. They increased the margin to three goals at the 2:25 mark of the third when Mike Clark cruised across in front of the net and deflected a perfect pass from the corner by Dave Underwood. Mike Murray also drew an assist. Down by three goals, Bradford refused to give up and got one back at the 4:45 mark when Webscholl converted a well executed two -on-one breeak. Exeter continued to dominate play, but couldn't beat John Kemp on several good chances. Then with just over two minutes left, Fletcher came up with his biggest save of the night when he blanked Chris Nabours on a clear breakaway, but that failed to take the steam out of Bradford and they narrowed the count to 4-3 at the 18:22 mark when Webseholl again won a face-off in the Exeter end and then got the puck back from a team mate and drilled it into the cage. The final seconds ticked away slowly for local fans until Lindenfield picked up the puck near his own blueline and sent an agonizingly slow flip shot towards the open target. One defender appeared to have a chance at it, but when he saw that hope fade, he tossed his stick at the disc but to no avail as 'it crossed the line to cap the victory for Ontario's best midget "B" team. John Kernick and Mike Murray drew assists on the clincher which emptied the Exeter bench. Exeter out-shot Bradford by a 35-19 count in the game which featured some questionable officiating. Local fans were incensed when one Bradford penalty was rescinded in the second period, the infraction being called by one referee who had not heard his ehort whistle the play dead prior to the penalty. Nor could they understand Tom Coates getting a 10- minute misconduct and the automatic two minutes for shooting the puck after the whistle, particularly when a Bradford player picked up only a two minute infraction for the same thing later in the game. Exeter served 14 of the 23 penalties called. OMHA convener Jim Draper presented the trophy to team captains Pete Tuckey, Dave Shaw and Mike Murray and the boys received a standing ovation as Tuckey skated around the rec centre with the silver- ware. Champagne flowed in the dressing room after the contest, most of it being sprayed around the room by the happy champions. Following a trip through town on the fire truck, the lads and their parents en- joyed a victory' party with the food being supplied by the local grocery stores. During the party, many of the boys' fathers were carted off to the shower by the hyped-up champs. ••• 'NA& •• ONTARIO CHAMPIONS — The Exeter Kinsmen midgets brought the community ning, Dave Jackson, Scott Pincombe, Dave Underwood, Jeff Rowe and manager Keith Coates. its fifth provincial title in the past eight years when they defeated Bradford for the ,crown, Wednesday. Midclk6ow: Tom Coates, Rick Lindenfield, Dave Shaw, Mike Murray, Mike Clark, Ed Willis, , , Back row, from the left: coach Jack Fuller, assistant Jack Underwobd, Jamie Chaffe, Bill Ren- Wayne Smith and Jim Lovie. Front row: John Kernick Rich Fletcher, Pete Tuckey Pete Parsons and Bill Glover. Staff photo qq, TO ''''. " „ • .>,..1. •::,......,,•• ww,i,:t, , ,- .....-- . .„,,,,,,,, • ••;,,,,,,< .m"MS7 :,,,,, •$,• .,i.: ,:)„ MX' Serving South Huron, North Middlesex April 16, 1980 & North Lambton Since 1873 Page 1A THE CLINCHER — The last minute of Wednesday's final game in the Exeter-Bradford midget series was jammed with action as the yisitors pulled to within one goal and then pull- ed their netminder for an extra attacker. However, in the top photo, Rick Lindenfield (17) takes the puck near his own blueline and stands watching below as it slowly makes its way to the open net. Bradford's No. 15 finally threw his stick at the puck when he realized it was going to go in and salt the' Exeter victory. Staff photo ,.,,,m,ArralesovevNuRwmpowiNgi. BIG SAVES — Any save is a key one, gut they take on extra importance in the final minutes of a tight hockey game. Exeter netminder Rich Fletcher came up big on these two attempts in the latter stages of Wednesday's game when Bradford players had clear shots from close in, one of them being a breakawa Staff hoto Statistics Games Goals Assists Pen/m A RIDE FOR THE COACH — One of the benefits of being the coach of a championship squad is the ride around the arena on the backs of your players. Taking Jack Fuller for quick trip were midgets Jim Lovie , Mike Clarke and Dave Underwood. Staff photo CHAMPAGNE SHOWER — The Exeter midgets doused each other with the traditional champagne when they got into their dressing room after capping the Ontario cham- pionship, Wednesday. Some of the lads are shown during the hijinks. Staff photo Dave Shaw Pete Tuckey Rick Lindenfield Mike Murray Dave 'Underwood Dave Jackson Ed Willis Bill Glover Mike Clark Tom Coates John Kernick Jeff Rowe Wayne Smith Bill Renning Jamie Chat fe Jim Lovie Scott Pincombe 52 55 54 55 56 44 57 22 43 53 23 26 50 46 55 53 15 37 37 31 18 21 20 16 21 20 9 13 11 13 7 2 2 0 45 38 34 29 25 25 25 14 13 24 16 11 6 10 13 11 4 82 75 65 47 46 45 41 35 33 33 29 22 19 17 15 13 4 Won 36 Played 25 Playoff Record w/Shamrock Won 19 Games Played 57 Lost 16 Tied 5 Lost 6 GOALTENDERS Games Periods Against Perc. Game R. Fletcher P. Parsons 18 41 112 129 48 56 3.11 3.15 WITH THE SPOILS — OMHA convener Jim Draper, London, was on hand Wednesday to present the OMHA championship cup to the Exeter Kinsmen midgets. With him are the captains of the team, Mike Murray, Pete Tuckey and Dave Shaw it •• 2Cv