In their third season of play since the amalgamation of the Drayton Icemen and the Palmerston 81’s, the Mapleton Minto 81’s won the WOAA Senior AA North division regular season championship with a pair of wins last weekend.
After two years of growing together the 81’s have assembled a home-brew group of players led by coaches Michael Hurst, Shaun Cowan, Ryan Fisk and general manager Rick Fisk.
A strong hometown spirit exists on this team, as most members grew up within 20 kilometers of the rink, team officials note. Going into the final weekend of the regular season, one point separated the top three teams in the north – the Elora Rocks, the Saugeen Shores Winter Hawks and the 81’s. The 81’s needed to win both games to finish first.
Their Feb. 1 game in Lucknow against the Lancers saw the 81’s win with a score of 7-0 and the Elora Rocks won against the Winter Hawks in a shootout, on the same evening in Port Elgin. This set the stage for the incredibly exciting, winner-take-all game on Feb. 2, in Palmerston between the Hawks and 81’s. With a large contingent of Hawk fans in the stands and an equally vocal group behind the locals, the “battle for the crown” was set. The fans hardly settled into their seats when the puck squirted to a lone, Hawk player situated in front of the 81’s net, who then blasted a slap shot into the top corner over the glove of goalie Josh Leis – who had no chance on the play.
The 81’s woes deepened as midway through the period the Hawks padded their lead on a three-way passing play that resulted in a 2-0 lead at the end of the first. The determined 81’s delivered a series of solid body checks on the Hawks’ defencemen, and began to carry the play. Players such as Brent Cochran, Reed Shantz, and Curtis Pinder sacrificed their bodies for the cause. A couple of minutes into the second period Jordan Lang made a strong play at the Hawks blue line and slid a pass to Joe Girbe. He made a perfect pass to Zack Graham who sent a “laser beam” into the Hawk’s net to make it 2-1.
The 81’s spirited play continued as Girbe handed out a check, which was deemed by the referee as excessive, resulting in a two-minute boarding penalty. A powerplay goal by the Hawks would have put a big bump in the 81’s road to victory. Enter Andrew Coburn, Scott Tregunna and Reed Norman who deked the Hawk’s goalie tying the game. The remainder of the second period went end to end with Leis making several dazzling saves, as did his counterpart in the Hawks’ net. The second period ended 2-2.
Early in the third period, first year player, Tyson LeBlanc delivered a thundering hit on a Hawk defenceman, jarring the puck loose to Abe Herbst, who passed it down low to Coburn. Leblanc tipped a smooth pass from Coburn into the net, making the score: 3-2 for the 81’s. Tregunna, who spent the whole game pounding the opposition with heavy hits, showed his skill as he feathered a pass to Coburn. Making no mistake, Coburn scored. The score was now 4-2 for the 81’s. In the final eight minutes of the period the Hawk’s rallied with one controversial goal and then a second, creating a 4-4 tie as overtime loomed.
Fans held their breath in the five minute overtime as each team hit a goal post. Leis made some spectacular saves as the 81’s shooters tested the Hawks net minder. Overtime ended with a 4-4 tie, resulting in a shootout.
The shootout started with Tregunna, coming down the middle at the Hawks’ net. He made a slick move but the Hawk’s goalie prevailed. The first Hawks’ shooter came down hard, but Leis promptly turned him aside. Second 81’s shooter Andrew Coburn came in with speed and tucked a slick back hand into the top corner over the outstretch Hawks’ goalie.
Once again Leis stymied the second Hawk’s shooter. Joe Girbe missed his attempt by a whisker. Leis faced the final Hawk shooter (a former NHL player) with great skill, who moving in sniper-like fashion labeled a bullet for the top corner glove side on Leis, who flashed the leather and the 81’s won with a score of 5-4. First place: Mapleton Minto 81’s; second: Elora Rock and third: Saugeen Shores Winter Hawks.
Not only did the 81’s clinch first place in the north, Scott Tregunna won the scoring title with Zack Graham coming in second.
The 81’s now face the Lucknow Lancers in the first round of playoffs. The series begins in Lucknow on Feb. 7 and moves to Palmerston the following weekend.
