Game 1 was an early affair and Niagara Falls had the boys on their heals leading 2-1 for most of the first period. Some minor adjustments and encouragement woke the boys up and they started to roll. Their puck movement and positional play improved and the game finished with a 7-2 score.
Mooretown carried the momentum from game 1 into their second game were they put on a dominating performance. They used their team defence and ferocious back check to control the play in their opponents zone for the majority of the game. Mooretown also began to find the open ice offensively which had the other teams at the tournament taking notice. With the victory in the second game, the Chargers finished up day one with two victories and tied for first in their pool.
On day two, the always well dressed Mooretown team arrived to take on the top team from Burlington. The winner would clinch first place in the pool and a berth in the semi-finals. The Coaches place free time at the waterpark on the board and the boys came out flying using their skating and passing to frustrate the Burlington team and take the lead in the game. Burlington played hard and tough but the boys did not back down from the challenge and made sure to capitalize on every scoring chance they had. At the end of the game the boys were victorious and heading to the semifinals but more importantly they were heading back to the waterpark for some team bonding.
Mooretown's semifinal opponent would be decided later in the day and as expected the high scoring team from Innisfil would be that opponent. Mooretown's skill and teamwork was quickly becoming the talk of the tournament and the team didn't disappoint the fans on day three at the semifinals. The boys commitment to hard work and team play was on display as they built an early lead on the Innisfil team. It was noted that there were a number of highlight reel passing plays and a high level of unselfish play that led Mooretown to victory. The Championship game was next on the schedule but everyone knew we would have to beat a strong team from Meadowvale in order to win it.
Meadowvale had not allowed a goal all tournament and early on in the game it was clear that their goalie was not going to be a push over. However, with strong drives to the net the Chargers found the rebounds and were able to build a 3-0 lead. Meadowvale would not make it easy and pushed back with a goal of their own to make it 3-1. As the game progressed, the Chargers found another gear and used their team speed to draw penalties and frustrate their opponents. By limiting a talented Meadowvale team time and space, Mooretown was able to control the play and capitalize on their mistakes. As the clocked ticked towards the end of the game, a tired Mooretown team never gave in and never quit and when the buzzer sound they were Champions !
Over the five games this weekend the Mooretown team showed how far they have come as a team since the start of the season. Each and every team member accepts their role on the team and puts in the hard work that allows this team to be successful.
Congratulations Mooretown TriCounty Chargers on your win - You deserve it.