The Bell Capital Cup, an international hockey tournament in Ottawa, has been nicknamed the “holy grail of minor hockey,” with over 400 teams competing, and 20 in the Minor Atom division alone.
On Dec. 28, the Centre Wellington Fusion Minor Atom A team travelled to Ottawa to participate.
The boys started the tournament facing the Waterloo Wolves and found themselves down 1-0 with 2:43 left in the third period. The boys dug deep and were able to put the tying goal between the pipes. Then, 36 seconds later, they found the net again and held on for a 2-1 victory.
Game two of the round robin found the team facing the Cumberland Jr. Grads. The boys played a tough, focused game and came away with a 3-1 victory.
In the next game, the Fusion dominated the team from Nepean, earning a strong 5-1 win.
In their quarter-final match, the team met the number one rated Kanata Blazers. Once again, the Centre Wellington boys found themselves down near the end of the third.
The score was 2-0 Kanata with 5:49 left in the third when the Fusion started to find the net. Three goals in the final five minutes gave the boys a 3-2 victory.
In the semifinal, the team met the Barrie Colts. The Fusion opened the scoring in the first and that was where it stayed as the team celebrated a 1-0 victory.
Fusion goalie Christian Linton earned the shutout, making key saves to preserve the victory.
Then it was off to the final, which was played at Scotiabank Place, home of the Ottawa Senators.
The boys were bound and determined to leave no doubt as to who the best team was. They came out firing on all cylinders and completely dominated the Leaside Flames, winning the championship by a score of 5-1.
The Fusion also had a dominating performance at the tournament skills competition winning four of seven of the following events:
– relay: Andrew Atkins, Troy Hall, Jake Ristov, Zac Tofflemire;
– power play offense: Logan Rayner, Trent Collins and Max Hattle;
– target shooting: Caleb Willmets;
– breakaway shootout: Tyler Healey and Cam Angst;
– agility (2nd place): Zachary Burt, Jarrett Anderson and Cole Chipman;
– power play defense (2nd place): Zach Hatch and Tristan Cousineau; and
– goalie challenge (2nd place): Christian Linton.
Jakson Kirk was named top forward at the All-Star Game and Max Hattle was top in points in the tournament. Points for the team at the Capital Cup went to (goals, assists): Hattle (3,4), Kirk (2,4), Healey (4,2), Willmets (2,3), Collins (3,2), Anderson (3,1), Tofflemire (1,2), Hall (2 assists), Burt (1 goal), and Atkins, Hatch, Angst and Rayner (1 assist each).
Cousineau and Linton shared time in net and were both outstanding.
The team is coached by Tom Ristov, Colin Hatch, JP Cousineau, Mike Kirk and Don Burt.
