Atom Reps Compete At International Silver Stick, News, Atom Rep, U11, 2013-2014 (Listowel Minor Hockey Association)

This Team is part of the 2013-2014 season, which is not set as the current season.
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Jan 28, 2014 | Dean Williams | 1034 views
Atom Reps Compete At International Silver Stick
Friday morning’s game featured the Atom Reps versus Simcoe.

The game would take place in the Watford Arena.  With the outside temperature plummeting, and Gail-force winds howling into every crack of the building, it seemed cold enough in the arena to freeze the nuts off a steel bridge. 

 

After going up 1-0, Simcoe made the game into a continuous struggle for Listowel to gain any substantial ground.  Much like it was for Trainer Jim when he walked to school and back home as a young boy, claiming it was uphill both ways.  Listowel did manage to fight back and tie the game at 2-goals a piece, but late in the 3rd, an unexpected high shot from a Simcoe forward snuck through between Josh’s shoulder and the crossbar. Some say that even Corey Perry would have trouble scoring that goal if he were given 100 pucks.   

 

Friday afternoon’s game put Listowel up against the always-strong team from Petrolia.  The Atom Reps gave Petrolia all they could handle, and after 2 periods of play the scorekeepers were far from overworked with a still scoreless hockey game.  With less and less time to draw first blood, it was Petrolia who finally scored, and despite the desperation attempt that resembles a single guy in a bar at closing time, the Atom Reps couldn’t close the deal, and ended up on the losing end of their second game of the day, and again by only a goal. 

 

Waking up Saturday morning with new hope, Listowel had Nashville in their sights for their 3rd game.  At 5:59 of the 1st period, Benny used his patented ‘big-man-moves’ and shoved one in.  In the 2nd period it was Carter Servais and Carter Coombs that put Listowel up 3-0.  Despite being up by 3 goals, the team was still missing whatever it was that got them to this prestigious tournament. 

 

Out of nowhere, the passing of the puck, and the scoring came fast and furious in the 3rd period.  Carter Coombs completed his hat-trick (didn’t see any B-K hats on the ice Mrs. Alexander), Carter Servais blew another past the Nashville goalie’s left shoulder, Benny scored yet another, and Bret finished the scoring to put the final score at 8-0.  Constant offensive pressure by Owen, Camden, Maddox and Chet, and a newfound defensive presence by Jordan, Carter, Colin and Taytt, all aided in the huge win. 

 

Even though the Nashville team had not scored a goal all weekend, they took the loss and responded with more class than a monocle with a moustache.  All of us could learn something from that. 

 

Was it the 3-goal-lead, the freshly cleaned ice surface, or could it be possible that Coach Jason did his best Bruce Boudreaux impersonation in the dressing room during the 2nd intermission that lit a spark under the team?  No one will know for sure, but maybe the boys looked around and realized that even though they lost the tournament, they may have won a much larger trophy by winning their confidence back, and that is only accomplished by teamwork. 

 

With no early morning agenda for Sunday, except to cheer on the Bantams, the boys were excited to have a free night, so it was back to the hotel for a swim.  Only, at supper it was rumoured that someone at the hotel saw Bill Murray’s character from Caddy Shack cleaning out the pool in the afternoon.  That was confirmed when the door into the pool area was locked, and the disinfection of the pool water would have to continue into the night. No swimming for the boys, but they made their own entertainment, much like the parents, and a great night was had by all.

 

Boys you can be proud of the title of this article.  Not many hockey players get to say they were part of a team that were fortunate enough to participate in the International Silver Stick Tournament. 

 

Well done.

Your Team Reporter
Dean Williams