~~~~~~~~~ Advertisement ~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~ Advertisement ~~~~~~~~~
By Daniel Prinn
Fifteen hours after a quadruple-overtime semi-final defeat knocked them out of contention for the title, the host Eastern Ontario Wild rebounded to win a bronze medal at the Mar. 28-Apr. 2 All-Ontario Bantam ‘AAA’ boys’ hockey championship in Rockland.
“We played a good game,” says Wild captain Nicolas Chartrand. “We were working hard all season for this moment and we got the win.”
The Wild got goals from Chartrand, Mathieu Talbot and Kieran Craig in their 3-0 bronze medal match victory over the North Bay Trappers, while Justin Lalonde recorded the shutout in goal.
“I believed in the boys standing in front of me,” underlines Lalonde, whose team had lost to North Bay earlier in the preliminary round. “I think it wasn’t just my efforts – but the entire team. I really appreciate them being on the rink.”
Lalonde provided fresh legs in the bronze game after Zachary Paputsakis stood in goal for nearly 90 minutes in the Wild’s marathon 5-4 semi-final defeat against the top-ranked Whitby Wildcats.
Dylan Peterson’s equalizer for Eastern Ontario with the goalie pulled and 1:35 left on the clock in the third period forced overtime, which finally ended in the 7th period.
“(The game) was an amazing moment,” reflects Chartrand. “Memories for the rest of my life.”
Wild coach Frank Hincks says the loss “was almost like a numbing experience.”
“They were tired but they we were ready to go” for their final contest the next day, adds Hincks, whose players were coming off just a 10-11-9 season in 2014-15. “To win the bronze medal at the provincial championship is special. They’ve come a long way and worked hard.”
The tournament featured the league champions from Ontario’s six ‘AAA’ districts, plus a second host entry for the Eastern Ontario runner-up Ottawa Senators, who managed just a win and a tie in six games.
The All-Ontario tournament rotates between the six leagues, so the chance to play a provincial championship at home is a rare experience most players never receive.
“It’s been really fun,” notes Lalonde, a Rockland native who plays alongside many players from Orleans. “We got to miss a week of school and we got to play hockey – it’s the best thing ever.”
Mississauga went on to beat Whitby 3-2 in the championship final.
The Kanata Lasers were also provincial bronze medalists in the Midget ‘AAA’ competition Mar. 28-Apr. 3 in Waterloo, while the Ottawa Senators will compete in the Peewee ‘AAA’ All-Ontarios Apr. 4-8 in Sudbury.