U12 Ravens win International Silver Stick

The Essex-Southpoint Ravens U12 hockey team travelled to Newmarket last week and came home as Silver Stick champions.

The opening game saw the Ravens come out a little rusty as they faced off against the Burlington Eagles, but eventually they found their way and skated away with a 4-0 win.

Lucas O’Neil led the way with a pair of goals, while Austin Goudie and Derek Dunn added singles. Trent Chevalier earned the shutout.

Game two had the locals face the Centre Wellington Fusion. It was all business in this tilt as the Ravens iced an 8-1 victory. Goudie paced the attack, notching a hat trick, with singles going to Kayden Cook, Nash Fuerth, Maxim Pyne, AJ Youssef and Dunn. Kevin Ondic earned the win in goal.

Next up for the Ravens was the host team, the Newmarket Renegades. This contest was completely one-sided as the Ravens breezed to an 8-0 win while not allowing a single shot on net. Fuerth sniped a hat trick, and O’Neil, Ben Liebrock, Pyne, Jonathan Recker, Joseph McLeod added singles. Chevalier earned his second shutout of the tourney.

The Essex-Southpoint Ravens, 2022 Silver Stick champions. Kneeling in front are Trent Chevalier and Kevin Ondic. Standing, from left, are Jamie Thomas, Nash Fuerth, Austin Goudie, Ben Liebrock, Coach Tony Youssef, Isaiah George’s, Trainer Kevin Cook, Joseph McLeod, AJ Youssef, Lucas O’Neil, Nathan Mariuz, Brayden Foster, Jonathan Recker, Maxim Pyne, Kayden Cook, Tyler Thomas, Derek Dunn, Coach Dylan Impens.

Photo submitted

On Monday morning the Ravens continued round-robin play against the Leaside Flames. By now the team was playing like a well-oiled machine and easily won this contest 8-1. Goudie fired in a pair, with O’Neil, Liebrock, Pyne, Fuerth, Isaiah Georges and Nathan Marius rounding out the scoring. Ondic secured the win.

Monday night saw the Ravens face off against the Welland Tigers in the semi-final. Only 40 seconds into the game, Youssef won a face-off back to Fuerth, who weaved to the slot and roofed his snapshot to take the lead.

In the second, Dunn found a loose puck and his shot found the fivehole to double the lead.

Welland scored next to get within one.

Two minutes into the third, Tyler Thomas took a shot from out front that was blocked, but Cook found the carom and ripped his shot in off the post.

Two minutes later, Fuerth dug the puck out of the corner and wired his wrister bar down to put the Ravens up by three.

Brayden Foster then passed to Liebrock, who hit O’Neil in full stride and he split the defence and wired his wrister five hole to increase the lead.

Welland added a goal to inch closer, but that was as close as they would get as Essex-Southpoint skated to a well-earned 5-2 win. Chevalier secured the win with key saves throughout.

On Tuesday, March 15, the Ravens were up against the Sarnia Sting in the championship game. It was a very spirited contest with both teams taking a few penalties as each side tried to force themselves on the other.

With 6:31 left in the second period, Fuerth stopped a clearing attempt and ripped his shot on net. His shot was stopped, but the rebound landed on the stick of Youssef who made no mistake and tapped it home to take the lead.

The Ravens controlled most of the play and held a strong shot advantage, but the score remained 1-0 until late into the third.

With 5:51 remaining,while short-handed, Kayden Cook tipped the puck to Derek Dunn who skated wide past the defence and rifled his shot to increase the lead.

Sarnia was unable to muster any sort of comeback as the Ravens watched the final seconds tick away and they swarmed their goalie in a well-deserved 2-0 victory.

Trent Chevalier stopped everything thrown his way as he earned his third shutout.