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HomeMy WebLinkAboutGoderich Signal Star, 2017-03-01, Page 3838 Signal Star • Wednesday, March 1, 2017 Moe'n the Lawn, great crowds, and competitive divisions highlight 381h Deckhands Tournament When the lights were finally dimmed in old Memorial Arena on the Sun- day afternoon of the Family Day weekend, 28 games had been competitively con- tested in what tournament organizers felt was their smoothest running tourna- ment to date. During the weekend, over half of the games were decided by two goals or less providing some excellent old-timer hockey for the many fans, some great camaraderie and some excellent sportsmanship. Another highlight of the weekend was the second annual Sifto Salt Showdown prior to each team's first round-robin game, with each team having an oppor- tunity to win a prize courtesy of Compass Minerals. Adding to this fantastic weekend was the annual Sat- urday night community old-timer dance which saw returning local rockers, Moe'n the Lawn; perform brilliantly in front of a sold out audience all night long. Many of these exhausted patrons would need to get some short rest before bat- tling on Championship Sun- day; and had the opportu- nity to be safely delivered to their beds courtesy of Shore- line Taxi. Maitland Division Final This division tends to be a very competitive division annually, and this year was no different, with perennial powerhouse Corunna Old Sharks looking to win the division for a third consecu- tive time. The local River Rats, Unifor and Lakeport Hawks were determined not to let this happen. In the final, the younger River Rats pulled away from an exhausted and depleted Lakeport club 6-2 to claim the title. Tiger Dunlop Final This highly skilled division proved to be another exam- ple of a youth movement just being a little too quick fora more senior team. The Port Albert River Rats ran the table in this division with an impressive four straight wins. The final was very quick, as they edged Ripley Lakeshore Ice 4-2 denying the perennial podium dwell- ers another championship while serving notice that they may be around for a few years. John phillips memorial. division final Always a very prestigious division to participate in, 2017 saw this division com- prising old and new as the perennial fan favourite Bushwackers played in front of standing room crowds all weekend long. The Stones, making their 30th straight Register online March i- May l4at goderichminorhockey.co under the registration tab 50011 of registration to all new players to GMHI (a109 or earlier) $100 Early Bird Discount if registered by May 14/17 visit to the tournament; also had a solid fan base to cheer them on. Almost as impres- sive was the return of the London Optimists, who have been making the annual trek on the third weekend of Feb- ruary for well over25 years. Rounding out the division was the Owen Sound Mag- num who were playing in the tournament for the first time. This division proved to be the closest as the plus/minus tiebreak format had to be applied to decide the final. In the final, Stones goalie Fred Schoemaker stymied the Magnum with• his spir- ited play betweert the pipes, as the Stones returned to their many various commu- nities with an impressive 4=0 shutout victory. During the awards ceremony, Deck - hand veteran Mark Johnston delivered a tremendoustrib- ute to the memory of John • Philips, allowing those that knew the great community leader an opportunity to reflect on his legacy. Huron division final This division was also very close until the final buzzer, with the Port Albert River Rats 50s, and, the Port Stan- ley Cardiacs who were returning for an incredible 38th time. These two clubs provided a stiff test for the B.C. Boys, and, the Moon - shiners who were teams composed of players from as far away as Nebraska, South Carolina, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. The final saw nothing settled between the Boys and Moonshiners, necessitating sudden death overtime. In 3 on 3 double overtime, the B. C. Boys finally broke the 2-2 tie to claim the title. After the tra- ditional handshake, both teams capped of a great weekend of hockey with a group photo at centre ice. As is the case each year, many of the proceeds from the annual tournament get directly infused back into the community as the Contributed photos Deckhand Hockey Club support many youth sport associations, Healthy Hearts Campaign, YMCA, and, Kid's Camp sponsor- ships, just to name a few. The Old Deckhands Hockey Club would like to thank the Town of Goderich, Goderich Hydro, 104.9 The Beach, the Goderich Signal. Star, Hamilton Cafe, Shore- line Taxi, Paddy O'Neils, the YMCA, Gardiner's, Goderich Curling Club, and, Compass Minerals for helping to contribute to a successful tournament. OFFICE HOURS The office hours for the Goderich Signal Star are as follows Monday '8am-5pm Tuesday - 8 am - 5 pm Wednesday 8 am - 5 pm Thursday 8 am - 5 pm Friday -r8am-4pm Goderich al n al -Star 120 Huckins Street., Goderich, ON N7A 3X8 519-524-2614 www.goderichsignalstar.com.