The Storm spent their Christmas break in Watford to battle for a Silver Stick Championship and an entry into the International Finals in Port Huron, MI. Mooretown was dealt a tough schedule having to win 4 times against Major A teams but ran the table with 5 straight wins and were crowned Regional Silver Stick Champions. The Storm now head to Port Huron to compete for the International Championship, January 24-27, 2013.
Game 1 - Mooretown 3 Essex 2 OT
The Storm opened the tournament on the 23rd with a match up with the
Essex Ravens. The Storm were considered
the underdogs in this game and played like it for the first two periods falling
behind 2-0 heading into the 3rd.
If not for the stellar play of Cody Hitchcock between the pipes the hole
could have been much deeper. Mooretown
regrouped, found their game and dominated the final frame, tying the score and
creating several chances to win in regulation.
Overtime was needed and the 3 on 3 format suited the Storm just fine as
the trio of Nolan Farr, Greg Hay and Blake Howard took 30 seconds to put away
the winner. Hay beat two men out of the
corner and smoothly set up a waiting Farr for a cross-crease, back door winner.
1st Period
7:11 - Essex
2nd Period
2:06 - Essex
3rd Period
8:46 – Hay 1 (Gardner)
3:08 – Ashley 1 (Pepper, Nahmabin)
Overtime
14:30 – Farr 1 (Hay, Howard)
Goaltender - Hitchcock
Game 2 - Mooretown 4 West London 1
The Storm were back in action on the 28th for their second game
taking on the West London Hawks. Mooretown came out flying and grabbed the lead
on the first shift of the game as Hay converted a 2 on 1 pass from Farr. Both teams played a quick pace and kept the
goaltenders busy as the Storm took a 2-1 lead into the 3rd. Mooretown carried the play potting two more,
the last an empty netter, to earn the #2 Seed heading into the Elimination
Game.
1st Period
9:33 - Hay 2 (Farr, Ashley)
2nd Period
6:02 - Howard 1 (Gardner)
1:53 – West London
3rd Period
9:01 – Farr 2 (Houle)
0:26 – Clements 1 (Gardner)EN
Goaltender - Hitchcock
Game 3 - Mooretown 7 St. Marys 0
On Saturday the 29th the Elimination Games took place with the #2 Seeded
Storm taking on #7 Seeded St.Marys. Mooretown
dominated from start to finish against a tired St.Marys squad with Kaymond
Turner earning the shutout and Hay picking up the Hat Trick.
1st Period
6:11 - Hay 3 (Farr, Timperley)
4:46 – Nahmabin 1 (Pepper, Adams)
2nd Period
No Scoring
3rd Period
14:30 – Farr 3 (Ashley, Hay)
10:25 - Hay 4 (Ashley)
7:09 - Hay 5 (Ashley)
6:47 – MacDonald 1 (Gardner, Taylor)
2:07 – Clements 2 (Snary, Pepper)
Goaltender - Turner
Semi-Final - Mooretown 3 Essex 0
With Essex winning their Elimination Game over West London the Semi-Final
match ups were set, both featuring rematches as Woodstock again met up with
Petrolia. This time around the Storm took
the play to the Ravens and continued to roll 3 hardworking lines and rotate
through 5 mobile D. The game was still a
tight one with Hitchcock coming up with some huge saves for a well-earned
shutout backstopping the Storm in the big win.
1st Period
9:18 – Farr 4 (Hay, Howard)
2nd Period
5:51 – Hay 6 (Ashley, Farr)
3rd Period
0:54 – Hay 7 (Farr, Howard)EN
Goaltender - Hitchcock
Championship Final - Mooretown 7 Woodstock
4
The Final would see the top 2 seeded
teams face off for the Championship with Woodstock looking to defend their
title. The Storm again got off to a
quick start with Farr scoring 17 seconds into the game. Woodstock answered right back just 30 seconds
later to make it understood it was going to be a battle. Woodstock would score again to close out the
1st Period with the lead and then go up 3-1 early in the 2nd. Rather than fold up the Storm dug deep and
responded with 4 goals in the final 5 minutes, 1 each from Farr and Hay and 2
from Clements, to take a 5-3 lead into the break. With Woodstock possibly saved by the bell,
with the flood interrupting the Storm’s momentum, Mooretown came out in the 3rd
with no intention of sitting back and protecting their lead. Just 9 seconds into the 3rd Hay
popped in a Farr rebound to keep the Storm in control. Woodstock would get within 2 with 8 minutes to
go but Farr would complete the Hat Trick late in the period to all but snuff
out any chance of a Woodstock comeback.
It was a great victory for the Storm with everyone contributing in some
fashion if not on the score sheet. The
Storm defence was tremendous all tournament in moving the puck quickly and
cleanly out of their zone while the Storm forwards outworked their opponents
and gave them fits with their play down low in the offensive zone, producing 24
goals for. Hitchcock and Turner, taking
turns manning the nets, were as solid as ever allowing just 7 goals in 5 games.
Nolan Farr was named Tournament MVP.
1st Period
9:43 – Farr 5 (Howard)
9:10 – Woodstock
4:42 - Woodstock
2nd Period
6:58 – Woodstock
5:21 – Farr 6 (Hay, MacDonald)
4:36 – Hay 8 (Farr, Ashley)PP
3:14 – Clements 3 (Gardner)
1:00 – Clements 4 (Gardner)
3rd Period
14:51 – Hay 9 (Farr, Howard)
8:13 – Woodstock
2:11 – Farr 7 (Hay, Ashley)
Goaltender - Turner