Avalanche Thanksgiving Challenge
Oct 9 - 12, 2009

The Sarnia Jr. Sting Midget A/AA team spent the weekend in Toronto participating in the annual Avalanche Thanksgiving tournament.

Game 1:

Sarnia Sting vs Erindale Spitfires:

Sarnia got things rolling with the only goal of the first period on the powerplay goal scored by Jordan McBeath and assisted by Jeff Schroeter. In the 2nd period the Sting ran into penalty trouble with two men in the box, and the Spitfires tied it 1-1. Erindale managed to notch another goal and were up 2-1, but Sarnia tied it on a nice goal from Viktor Kovacs helped from the steady Justin Stymest. The third period was scoreless and at the final buzzer Sarnia skated away with a 2-2 tie. Zac Lippiatt stood tall between the pipes for the Sting.

Game 2:

Sarnia Sting vs Vaughan Panthers:

This game was a hard hitting bruising affair right out of the gate. The Panthers took the body every chance they had and went up 2 quick goals. The Sting had to keep their heads up and they battled back with two goals of their own to tie it up off the sticks of Viktor Kovacs and Justin Stymest with helpers going to Chris Taylor, Trevor Crawford and Chris Losier.
The start of the 2nd period was no different as bodies were flying all over the ice. The Panthers went up 3-2 on a disputed goal which seemed to get the Sting fired up. The Sting were determined and applied intense pressure and would get the equalizer on a beautiful goal from Alex MacEachern set up by Kovacs. As the game wore on the Panthers decided to take liberties on the Sting and were repeatedly sent to the box. Sarnia answered with 5 unanswered goals by Jordan McBeath( 2), Taylor Smith, Kovacs, and Jeff Schroeter, with assists to Losier (2), MacEachern (2), David Sparks and Smith. As the rough stuff continued the refs had seen enough and decided to call the game with 4 minutes remaining as the Panthers racked up 69 minutes in penalties and numerous suspensions . The Sting won this hard earned victory 8-3. Ben Johnson played well and picked up the win between the pipes.

Game 3:

Sarnia Sting vs Lorne Park Ojibwa:

The Sting came out flying and were not going to allow Lorne Park any skating room. Sarnia notched their first goal of the game from Justin Stymest on a nice feed from Stewart Fisher and Taylor Smith. The Ojibwa managed to tie things up and as the 1st period wound down we were all even.  The second period saw some pretty good scoring chances but both sides could not find the twine and the period ended still tied at 1-1. At the start of the 3rd the speedy Alex MacEachern turned on the jets and scored Sarnia's second goal on a nice pass from Jeff Noppen to go up 2-1. Lorne Park managed to even things up and had numerous chances to go ahead but Ben Johnson shut them down in goal and the Sting skated away with a well deserve tie.

Game 4:

Sarnia Sting vs Kitchener Rangers:

The Kitchener Rangers remained undefeated going into this contest as well as the Sarnia Sting.  Sarnia knew to get to the final they had to go through the Rangers. The first period started with the Rangers attacking Sarnia's net relentlessly. The fast skating Rangers went up 1-0 in the first and things remained that way as the buzzer sounded to end the period.
In the 2nd the Sting drew even on a nice goal by the high scoring Viktor Kovacs helped out by Stewart Fisher and Jeff Schroeter. The Rangers would not roll over and attacked Sarnia's net with a vengeance, but Zac Lippiatt stood on his head stopping everything the Rangers threw at him and as the 2nd period ended we were all tied up 1-1.
As the third period got under way the Rangers came at Sarnia's net hard throwing everything they had yet again, but could not beat Sarnia's hot goaltender. The Sting managed to score 3 unanswered goals from Schroeter, Kovacs and David Sparks, with helpers going to Fisher, Jordan McBeath and Alex MacEachern as the Sting went on to win this one by a 4-1 score. Zac Lippiatt played outstanding earning the victory in net.

Semi Finals:

Sarnia Sting vs Cumberland Grads:

The Sting (playing 4 men short) and the Grads came out slow in the 1st period sizing each other up. Cumberland drew first blood going up 1-0 on a deflection off a shot from the point. As the clock wound down though Sarnia tied it up with less than 1 second remaining on a bullet from David Sparks assissted by Jeff Noppen and Jeff Schroeter. The Sting came out in the second on a mission scoring two goals to take a commanding lead. Sarnia's goals were scored by Alex MacEachern and Eric Hicks, helped out by Trevor Crawford and Noppen.
With the start of the third period, and Sarnia having a mental lapse, Cumberland jumped on a loose puck streaked down the ice on a breakaway and scored to come within one. Both sides had equal chances to score but Cumberland managed to put one in to even things up to close out the third period and send it to overtime.

OT:

Sarnia and Cumberland would play 5 minutes of  5 on 5 overtime which saw no scoring so they were now going to double overtime playing 4 on 4. Cumberland attacked the Sting's net with wave after wave but the Sting netminder Zac Lippiatt would not allow Cumberland to score, including a point blank shot which was the save of the game . Lippiatt stoned the Cumberland shooters until Jeff Schroeter picked up a loose puck, broke in on the Cumberland goaltender and did a nifty deke to score and put the Sting in the finals.

Finals:

Sarnia vs Kitchener Rangers:

The finals drew a large crowd and as the period got under way neither the Sting nor the Rangers were giving up an inch of ice. Sarnia got the only goal of the first period on a nice shot from Jeff Schroeter who was playing hurt throughout the tournament.
At the drop of the puck to start the second period both teams turned it up a notch. Sarnia was awarded a 2 man advantage but the Rangers did a good job killing off the penalty. Kitchener managed to sneak one by Sarnia's goalie to go up by one but Sarnia tied it up at the end of the 2nd on a goal by Jordan McBeath assisted by Viktor Kovacs.
The third period was a nail biter as the Rangers notched 2 more goals and took the lead 4-2.
The Sting fought back and scored a shorthanded goal by Kovacs helped by David Sparks, and with 1:38 left in regulation Sarnia pulled their goalie but could not get the equalizer and the Kitchener Rangers defeated the Sarnia Sting 4-3 to win the cup. Ben Johnson played well between the pipes recording the loss.