Photos: Bryant Magee.
The North Shore Winter Club A2 team defeated the Vancouver Thunderbirds 3-2 Sunday afternoon to win the Tier 2 Grand Championship at this year’s Kamloops Bantam International Ice Hockey Tournament, finishing with 6 straight wins.
The Winterhawks controlled play for most of the game, buzzing the T-Birds net, and for the most part kept the Vancouver shooters to the periphery in their own end.
They led 3-0 at the end of the second, and outshot the T-Birds 35-26 through three.
Hawks’ Kyle Jennings scored the first about four minutes into the first, stealing the puck from a Vancouver defender in the neutral zone and breaking in alone on net minder Hemingway Tung, scoring five hole (above).
Alex Wolfe added the second at the 16:10 mark with helpers from Matteo Pechia and Cam Chin.
Just over a minute later Jack McIntosh scored the third and eventual game winner, on a patient deke in tight (above).
In the third it looked like the Winterhawks might break the game open, but they couldn’t beat Tung.
With just over six minutes left in the game, T-Birds Head Coach Mike Todd pulled the goal tender for the extra man. The strategy eventually paid off after a Winterhawk player iced the puck while trying to score. Javier Woo scored on a shot that eluded Hawks ‘tender Michael Harroch.
Four minutes later the T-Birds’s Jay Rogers scored a second T-Birds goal to give the team a chance to force overtime, with 1:07 left on the clock.
But the Winterhawks held firm and the clock ticked down to zero, leaving the score at 3-2 Winterhawks.
After the game assistant coach Mark Jackson commented that the tournament win was due to a complete team effort, with all three lines, d-men and goalies contributing with key plays at different times.
“Every forward scored a goal for us. When it came to key situations, we wouldn’t be denied.”
Head coach Neil Stevenson-Moore said the team was never rattled, even after giving up three quick goals early in the third of the semi to fall behind 4-3 to Kamloops. The Winterhawks bounced back with three unanswered goals to win 6-4 and advance to the final.
Tournament MVP & All Star Selections
After the game, Winterhawks captain Cole Moberg was named tournament MVP Defenceman, and Allstar Defencemen.
Team mate, first year d-man Jason Chu was also selected for the All-Star team.
The T-Birds’ Holden Katzalay was named tournament MVP forward, and also selected for the All-Star team along T-Birds goaltender Hemingway Tung.
NSWC Head Coach Neil Stevenson-Moore was named All-Star team coach, pictured here with assistant coach Mark Jackson (l),
More action shots from the game:
Bronze Medal Game:
In the Bronze Medal game, the Penticton Vees came back from a late 3-0 deficit to win a thriller in overtime, 4-3.
Playoff Scoring Leaders: Top 30
| Rank | # | Tier 2 Playoff | Player | Team | GP | G | A | PTS |
| 1 | 17 | Messer | Pearce | N Delta Sun Devils | 3 | 2 | 5 | 7 |
| 2 | 14 | RICHEY | MASON | Terrace Kermodes | 3 | 4 | 2 | 6 |
| 3 | 12 | Pedersen | Will | N Delta Sun Devils | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 4 | 22 | Bader | Bryce | Sherwood Park | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 5 | 7 | Andersen | Ethan | N Delta Sun Devils | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| 6 | 14 | Gent | Tyus | N Sun Devils | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| 7 | 16 | McIntosh | Jack | NSWC AA | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 8 | 14 | CUMMINGS | JACOB | S Anchorage | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 9 | 15 | Fidanza | Hayden | Kamloops Raiders | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 10 | 11 | Katzalay | Holden | Vancouver TBirds | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 11 | 9 | Pecchia | Matteo | NSWC AA | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 12 | 20 | Wieschorster | Brett | Sherwood Park | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 13 | 10 | Duguid | Kevin | Sherwood Park | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 14 | 11 | Slipec | Jacob | DHA Varsity | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 15 | 8 | SAWICKI | TREVOR | S Anchorage | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 16 | 21 | Jennings | Kyle | NSWC AA | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 17 | 16 | Wintjes | Dion | Vancouver TBirds | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 18 | 15 | Robinson | Jacob | Sherwood Park | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 19 | 11 | FAIR | OLIN | S Anchorage | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 20 | 8 | Byrne | Matthew | Penticton Jr Vees | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 21 | 11 | Metz | Sam | Edge Varsity | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 22 | 12 | Quartly | Aidan | PG Jr Cougars | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 23 | 2 | Works | Jack | Edge Varsity | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 24 | 7 | Yanke | Spencer | Edge School | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 25 | 10 | Isaksson | Trevor | N Delta Sun Devils | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 26 | 13 | Cunningham | Darian | N Delta Sun Devils | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 27 | 11 | Wolfe | Alexander | NSWC AA | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 28 | 13 | Ackerman | Johnny | Vancouver TBirds | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 29 | 18 | Beckett | Hunter | Kamloops Raiders | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 30 | 7 | Gremaud | Brandon | Kamloops Raiders | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Combined Round Robin and Playoff Scoring Leaders: Top 10
| Tier 2 | # | Tier 2 RR + Playoffs | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM | |
| 1 | 17 | Messer | Pearce | N Delta Sun Devils | 6 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 2 |
| 2 | 11 | Katzalay | Holden | Van T-Birds AA | 6 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 0 |
| 3 | 16 | McIntosh | Jack | NSWC AA | 6 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 6 |
| 4 | 14 | Richey | MASON | Terrace Kermodes | 6 | 9 | 2 | 11 | 0 |
| 5 | 7 | Andersen | Ethan | N Delta Sun Devils | 6 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 0 |
| 6 | 15 | Robinson | Jacob | Sherwood Park | 6 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 12 |
| 7 | 13 | Ackerman | Johnny | Van T-Birds AA | 5 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 2 |
| 8 | 15 | Fidanza | Hayden | Kamloops Raiders | 6 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 26 |
| 9 | 13 | Cunningham | Darian | N Delta Sun Devils | 6 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 4 |
| 10 | 12 | Quartly | Aidan | PG Jr Cougars | 5 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 2 |
| 10 | 6 | Harvie | Luke | POE Varsity | 5 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 2 |
A recap of playoff round scores:
| RR# | Quarter Finals | GP | W | L | T | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | PIM | PTS% | GF/(GF+GA) | QFs |
| 1 | Van TBirds AA | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 18 | 6 | 13 | 100.0% | 0.750 | 5 |
| 8 | Terrace Kermodes | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 67.0% | 0.480 | 4 |
| 2 | NSWC AA | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 20 | 5 | 32 | 100.0% | 0.800 | 3 |
| 7 | OHA Varsity | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 16 | 67.0% | 0.444 | 0 |
| 3 | Calgary Stamps | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 22 | 15 | 22 | 75.0% | 0.595 | 4 |
| 6 | Kamloops Raiders | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 29 | 17 | 30 | 75.0% | 0.630 | 5 |
| 4 | Penticton Jr Vees | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 13 | 9 | 28 | 75% | 0.591 | 2 |
| 5 | POE Varsity | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 13 | 27 | 50.0% | 0.536 | 1 |
| RR# | Semi Finals | GP | W | L | T | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | PIM | PTS% | GF/(GF+GA) | QFs |
| 1 | Van TBirds AA | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 22 | 7 | 13 | 100.0% | 0.759 | 4 |
| 4 | Penticton Jr Vees | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 14 | 13 | 28 | 60.0% | 0.519 | 1 |
| 2 | NSWC AA | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 26 | 9 | 32 | 100.0% | 0.743 | 6 |
| 6 | Kamloops Raiders | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 33 | 23 | 30 | 60.0% | 0.589 | 4 |
| RR# | Gold Medal | GP | W | L | T | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | PIM | PTS% | GF/(GF+GA) | QFs |
| 1 | Van TBirds AA | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 24 | 10 | 15 | 83.3% | 0.706 | 2 |
| 2 | NSWC AA | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 29 | 11 | 34 | 100.0% | 0.725 | 3 |
| RR# | Bronze Medal | GP | W | L | T | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | PIM | PTS% | GF/(GF+GA) | QFs |
| 4 | Penticton Jr Vees | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 18 | 16 | 28 | 67.0% | 0.529 | 4 OT |
| 6 | Kamloops Raiders | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 36 | 27 | 30 | 50.0% | 0.571 | 3 |
Final Round Robin Standings:
| Fin. | Team | GP | W | L | T | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | PIM | PTS% | GF/(GF+GA) |
| 1 | Van TBirds AA | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 13 | 2 | 13 | 100.0% | 0.867 |
| 2 | NSWC AA | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 17 | 5 | 32 | 100.0% | 0.773 |
| 3 | Calgary Stamps | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 18 | 10 | 22 | 100.0% | 0.643 |
| 4 | Penticton Jr Vees | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 8 | 28 | 67.0% | 0.579 |
| 5 | POE Varsity | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 14 | 11 | 27 | 67.0% | 0.560 |
| 6 | Kamloops Raiders | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 13 | 30 | 67.0% | 0.536 |
| 7 | OHA Varsity | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 16 | 67.0% | 0.533 |
| 8 | Terrace Kermodes | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 14 | 67.0% | 0.500 |
| Fin. | Team | GP | W | L | T | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | PIM | PTS% | GF/(GF+GA) |
| 9 | N. Delta Sun Devils | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 11 | 24 | 33.0% | 0.577 |
| 10 | Sherwood Park | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 12 | 51 | 33.0% | 0.538 |
| 11 | DHA Wild Varsity | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 14 | 32 | 33.0% | 0.417 |
| 12 | S. Anchorage | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 38 | 33.0% | 0.353 |
| 13 | Edge Varsity | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 19 | 22 | 33.0% | 0.345 |
| 14 | Seattle Sno-King | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 13 | 20 | 0.0% | 0.381 |
| 15 | Mission Stars | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 12 | 44 | 0.0% | 0.333 |
| 16 | PG Jr Cougars | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 24 | 33 | 0.0% | 0.226 |
