After 2 losses in their last 3 games, the Erie North Shore Storm Atom A.E. team entered the first week of December with a few questions to be answered.
Had the Team peaked too early?
Had they plateaued?
Had they become complacent?
Hopefully the Belle River Tournament would provide some answers to the Coaching Staff as playdowns are quickly approaching.
Turns out the Coaches fears were a little premature as the Team showed their resilient side for the first time this year, enroute to their third consecutive tournament championship
Belle River Canadiens vs. Storm – Friday December 4/2015 9:15am
The first game of the tournament did nothing to quell the fears of the Coaching staff as the team looked fairly flat and uninspired. Fortunately, Belle River looked the same. Luckily most parents could not attend due to work, as this game was about as exciting as watching paint dry. After 2 periods of ho-hum hockey, Michael put us ahead 1-0 in the third. The lead was short lived however as 2 shifts later Belle River scored to tie it up.
Final Score: Storm 1- Belle River 1
Woolwich Wildcats vs. Storm – Friday December 4/ 2015 6:30pm
The night cap game featured a matchup between 2 potential playdown teams that have yet to play each other. The Teams intensity was raised as they wanted to prove their worthiness to a potential rival.
Woolwich got on the board first, 3 minutes into the game when a winger broke down the left side and fired a shot top shelf.
Erie got their feet moving and finally got the equalizer in the last minute of the period when Michael scored on a set up by Keegan and Teagan. The second period saw the Storm find their groove and the second shift in, Teagan scored from Keegan and Michael. The Storm continued to press but were stymied by the Woolwich goaltender who looked like the offspring of Ben Bishop. Keegan put in a goal at the end of the second period to put the Storm up by 2.
The third period saw continued Storm pressure but no further goals.
Final score: Storm 3 – Woolwich 1
Storm vs. LaSalle Sabres – Saturday December 5/2015 1:00pm
The last game of the round robin pitted the Storm against the team that handed them their first league loss of the season, the LaSalle Sabres. The Storm wanted payback, the Sabres wanted to prove it was no fluke.
The first period saw both teams battling hard with scoring chances at both ends but ending in a scoreless tie. The second period saw LaSalle get the first goal after a shot from the corner deflected off a Storm player into the net. What followed was a parade of Storm players heading to the penalty box. While the penalty killers did an excellent job, even killing off a 2 man powerplay, the amount of time in the penalty box prevented any sustained offensive pressure.
The third period started off well when Troy tied the game up on the first shift, with the assists going to Reilly and Ian.
LaSalle went ahead when a defensive breakdown left a man alone out front. The Storm continued to battle but the bounces were not going their way and they could not notch the equalizer.
Final score: LaSalle 2 – Storm 1
Semi Finals – Storm vs LaSalle – Sunday December 6/2015 10:25am
The semi-final saw the Storm playing in their first elimination game of the year against a team that just had beaten them twice in the last week. The Coaching Staff made a change in the line rotation in an effort to catch LaSalle off guard.
The move worked beautifully and on the first shift of the game Teagan won a faceoff back to Michael who sniped home the first goal 35 seconds into the game. The Storm kept the pressure up and were rewarded 3 minutes later when Reilly scored from Ian and Logan. Their strongest period of the tournament was not yet over as Michael scored his second of the game from Troy and Wyatt. 3-0 after one and the Storm were in the driver’s seat. The second and third period saw the Storm continue their pressure and LaSalle could not adjust. Tommy made a nice toe save off a deflection from one of our defenceman to keep the shutout.
Final score: Storm 3 – LaSalle 0
Finals – Storm vs. Belle River – Sunday December 6/2015 2:55pm
Hopes were high after the LaSalle game and the Storm were firing on all cylinders heading into the championship game.
It would have to be another strong effort to beat the host team in front of a home crowd.
The game began with tight checking as neither team wanted to make a mistake and give up the first goal.
The Storm got on the scoreboard first, early in the second period when Teagan scored from Michael and Troy.
Tight checking resumed until a turnover in the neutral zone sent a Belle River player in on a breakaway. Colin stood tall and used the shaft of his stick to make the save of the game and keep the Storm ahead.
The third period opened up a bit as Belle River looked for the equalizer. Half way through the period Michael grabbed a rebound from Ellie’s point shot and fired home an insurance goal. The Storm then played out the rest of the game with tight checking, frustrating their opponents until the final buzzer.
Final score: Storm 2 – Belle River 0
Congratulations on another excellent showing and a well-deserved victory.
Go Storm Go!!